Brand Scandal: Blu Vapes Ordered Off the German Market Over Trademark Confusion with Zippo

Introduction: It is reported that Blu e-cigarettes have been ordered off the market in Germany. 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 creates a "likelihood of confusion" with Zippo's registered "BLU" trademark for butane lighters and fuel in the EU.
According to Chinese e-cigarette news, a German court ordered the subsidiary of American tobacco giant Lorillard Tobacco Company to stop selling the popular Blu e-cigarettes in Germany due to trademark confusion with Zippo Manufacturing Company's lighters and fuel products.

On August 18, Pennsylvania-based Zippo announced this preliminary injunction against Cygnet UK Trading. Zippo is also busy engaging in high-stakes trademark litigation over the name Blu 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 would resist "such opportunistic litigation strategies. Zippo has indicated that it is willing to unfairly exploit the business success of others when it is not popular in the market."

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

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

Just as the two companies were preparing for a face-off in the U.S. federal court in California, the German court made the aforementioned decision to issue a preliminary injunction.