Trademark appeals are tricky, yet they are filed all the time. The latest trademark appeal in the news? Surprisingly, it involves the popular fitness brand Peloton.
The Back Story
Peloton likes to think of themselves as the face of “spinning”, but there is just one problem, the term “spinning” is in fact, already trademarked!
The high-end fitness brand has grown in popularity in recent years, especially during the pandemic. The company wanted to take things to the next level by using the term “spinning” in its advertisement, but a 20-year-old trademark is standing in its way.
The Peloton Problem
The Peloton brand is fighting for the terms “spin” and “spinning” to be recognized as generic terms so they can be allowed to be used freely by all. But in the late 90s, Mad Doggs Athletics trademarked the term “spin”, which made terms like “spin class” unusable when talking about generic exercise and fitness classes.
How Did it Start?
Recently, Mad Doggs Athletics filed a suit against Peloton for using the term “spin” in one of their YouTube videos. The suit claims Peloton’s products infringe on exercise bike patents.
Peloton’s reaction to all of this? Appeal the trademark! The drama doesn’t stop there. In fact, Peloton calls it all a “bullying campaign” by Mad Doggs Athletics and hopes the appeal will give the company the ability to use the term “spin” in their advertising efforts. As of April 2021, the appeal is still standing, with no settlement as of yet.
If you are ever involved in a trademark lawsuit, always speak with a trademark lawyer in Phoenix. A skilled lawyer can offer the expertise and guidance needed to move forward with an appeal.
