ALLIGATOR v Crocodile – ALLIGATOR wins

The ALLIGATOR brand was apparently big in the 1960′s and 70′s (before my time sadly).  It apparently fell on hard times and was acquired.  LACOSTE applied to  have the registration of ALLIGATOR revoked on the basis that it had not been used.  The new owners demonstrated that it had been presented to a number of stores, although apparently it never quite made it onto the rails.

The UK patent office (the UKIPO) found that this was sufficient to defeat Lacoste’s attack against the registration.  Reading through the case, it seems like Lacoste’s case would have been “snappier” had the evidence filed by the owners of the ALLIGATOR brand been challenged a little more…  if you are challenging then make sure you really challenge… read more here : http://tinyurl.com/y8kgn3b