S KOREAN STARBUCKS SLIP

The IPKat learns from the Korean Times that Starbucks has lost a trade mark infringement suit in South Korea. On Friday, the South Korean Supreme court upheld a lower decision (noted by the IPKat here) that Elpreya’s round trade mark, consisting of the head of a classical lady, bounded by a green rim and the words ‘Starpreya Coffee’, would not cause confusion with the Starbucks trade mark because the trade marks are not considered similar. Moreover, Starbucks' trade mark was found not to be a famous mark. Both companies have been trading in South Korea since 1999.

As the IPKat said at the time of the earlier decision, he finds it hard to see how the two marks can be considered dissimilar.