Apple Files Trademark Opposition Against Prepear for Similar Logo
The meal prep company has just five employees.
Apple has filed a trademark opposition against a meal prep company whose logo the tech giant claims looks too similar to its own. The company is called Prepear and uses a light green outline of a pear as its logo.
Apple is arguing that the logo would “cause dilution of the distinctiveness,” making it hard for customers to differentiate between Apple and Prepear’s offerings — Apple claims this is a violation of the Lanham Act. The tech giant detailed its concerns in its notice of opposition: “Applicant’s Mark consists of a minimalistic fruit design with a right-angled leaf, which readily calls to mind Apple’s famous Apple Logo and creates a similar commercial impression. The Apple Marks are so famous and instantly recognizable that the similarities in Applicant’s Mark will overshadow any differences and cause the ordinary consumer to believe the Applicant is related to, affiliated with or endorsed by Apple.”
In response, co-founder of Prepear Russell Monson passed around a petition named “Save the Pear from Apple!” which has now managed to acquire over 14,000 signatures. Monson reminded people that Prepear is a small business of just five people and that the company couldn’t possibly afford a legal battle with Apple — he also stated that dealing with Apple has been a “terrifying” experience so far. Apple’s court filing, however, mentions that Prepear’s nutrition and healthcare-based app could be mistaken for “Apple’s natural zone of expansion” and therefore gives Apple some grounds for seeking to have Prepear’s trademark registration application rejected.
In other news, Apple is reportedly working on an iPhone with a convex display.
