Stationary brand opposes new F1 logo JUNE 13, 2018 Liberty Media is still racing into trademark trouble over F1's new logo. In January, F1 business journalist Christian Sylt revealed that the new logo "bears a striking resemblance" to an existing 'F' logo already registered by the stationary company 3M for a range of compression tights. "We are looking into this matter further," a 3M spokesman said then. Still in the Daily Telegraph, Sylt is now reporting that 3M has lodged opposition to F1's logo trademark application, based on the "likelihood of confusion" with the tights brand. Official opposition was lodged on May 22, and Sylt said Europe's intellectual property office normally takes up to four months to rule.
I remember when the same thing happened between AT&T and Konica Minolta. I guess AT&T won out, since they're still using the logo, while Konica Minolta was eventually acquired by Sony.
3 M may have no alternative but to defend the FIA appropriation of one of their logos. It's not unusual for large brands like 3 M to count their trademarks as company assets in the evaluation of the business. Letting another organisation use one of your logos without fighting it would be tantamount to accepting a loss of capital.
