Brand Scandal: Blu E-cigarettes Ordered Off the German Market Over Confusing Similarity to Zippo Tra

Summary: Blu e-cigarettes have been ordered off the German market. Blu e-cigarettes were sued by a German court for trademark confusion with lighters and fuel products sold by Zippo Manufacturing Company. According to Zippo, the Frankfurt Regional Court in Germany issued a restraining order on August 6, stating that the blu e-cigarette brand created a "likelihood of confusion" with Zippo's "BLU" trademark registered in the EU for butane lighters and fuel.
News from the Chinese electronic cigarette industry: A German court has ordered the American tobacco giant Lorillard Tobacco Company's subsidiary to stop selling the popular Blu e-cigarettes in Germany due to trademark confusion with lighters and fuel products sold by Zippo Manufacturing Company.

On August 18, Zippo, based in Pennsylvania, announced this preliminary injunction against Cygnet UK Trading. Zippo is also busy engaging in high-stakes trademark litigation over the blu name in the U.S. and several other countries.

Zippo CEO Gregory Booth stated in a press release: "I am pleased that the German court has affirmed our legitimate rights to intellectual property." He added that Zippo is "actively working" to protect its trademarks globally.

Robert Bannon, Director of Investor Relations at Lorillard Tobacco Company, stated that the court's restraining order would only affect online sales, as blu e-cigarettes are not yet available in retail stores in Germany.

Lorillard Tobacco Company stated in a press release that the company will resist "such opportunistic litigation strategies. Zippo has indicated that when it is not popular in the market, it is willing to unfairly exploit the commercial success of others."

According to Zippo, the Frankfurt Regional Court in Germany issued a restraining order on August 6, stating that the blu e-cigarette brand created a "likelihood of confusion" with Zippo's "BLU" trademark registered in the EU for butane lighters and fuel.

Zippo has also filed lawsuits attempting to stifle the blu e-cigarette trademark application or cancel its trademark registrations in Canada and Mexico. Zippo stated that Sweden has already rejected Lorillard Tobacco Company's application for the blu trademark registration.

As these two companies prepare for a direct confrontation in the U.S. federal court in California, the German court has made the aforementioned preliminary injunction decision.