Not so long ago, a company called Fxxk locked horns with Tesla in an ugly trademark imfringement dispute in court. The events leading up to this dispute have now become an example of how trademark protection can be a vital part of a company’s business.
It all started when Elon Musk, the founder of Tesla, filed several trademark applications, including “Tesla X”. This was intended to be used as the official designation for Tesla’s line of electric cars, the Tesla Model X. The issue arose when Fxxk, a clothing and apparel company, attempted to register “X Fxxked” as a trademark. The US Patent and Trademark Office denied the application since it excluded Musk’s Tesla X trademark.
In what has reportedly been a heated legal battle, Fxxk argued that the “X Fxxked” trademark was not related to Musk’s Tesla trademark in any way. In response, the US Trademark Trial and Appeal Board determined that Fxxk had failed to show that its mark is not “confusingly similar” to Musk’s trademark. As a result, the board refused to register Fxxk’s trademark and ruled in favor of Tesla and Elon Musk.
This case has now become a prime example of how careful trademark protection is an essential part of any business’s legal obligations. It also serves as a reminder to any business looking to register a trademark of their own—as with any capital investment, trademarks should be researched and investigated before filing to make sure that there are no existing marks that are too similar to the one you’re looking to register.
While the conclusion of the Tesla-Fxxk dispute is a victory for Elon Musk and Tesla, it has also acted as a warning to any business owner looking to register a trademark. As the case has demonstrated, without proper protection, even the most powerful corporations can find themselves tangled in trademark disputes.