Devices changing the characteristics

Het Gerecht, 3 februari 2010, zaak T-472/07, Enercon GmbH tegen OHIM / Hasbro Inc.

Gemeenschapsmerk. Oppositieprocedure tegen aanvraag Gemeenschapswoordmerk ENERCON o.g.v. ouder Gemeenschapswoordmerk Transformers Energon (speelgoed). Oppositie toegewezen.

40 Lastly, as regards conceptual similarity, the Board of Appeal pointed out, in paragraph 22 of the contested decision, that neither the earlier trade mark nor the trade mark applied for had any particular meaning with regard to the designated goods. It thus observed that the word ‘transformers’ in English referred to devices changing the characteristics of electrical currents, while the words ‘energon’ and ‘enercon’ did not have any particular meaning. The Board of Appeal nevertheless accepted that the words ‘energon’ and ‘enercon’ were likely to be perceived as evoking the notion of energy, which might create a certain conceptual link between the trade marks at issue. In paragraph 24 of the contested decision it stated, however, that that conceptual similarity was low.

 41. The applicant essentially maintains that the ‘transformers’ element is dominant. However, as observed in paragraph 32 above, that assertion must be rejected, since neither of the two elements of which the earlier mark consists is more dominant or distinctive than the other in the overall impression created by the earlier mark.

(…) 44. Having regard to all the foregoing, it must be held that the Board of Appeal was right to hold, following a visual, phonetic and conceptual analysis, that the signs at issue, each considered as a whole, bore a certain degree of similarity for the purpose of Article 8(1)(b) of Regulation No 40/94.

Lees het arrest hier.