Ikea accuses blogger of trademark infringement

A trademark is typically considered a word, phrase or symbol that represents a brand, company or product. It is a form of intellectual property that is used to distinguish a brand in the marketplace and as such, can be subject to trademark infringement if a party other than the trademark owner is found to be using it for their own purposes without permission.

Recently, Inc. reported on an incident that happened online, when Swedish furniture company Ikea sent a letter to a blogger. According to the source, Ikea felt that the blog Ikeahackers.net infringed on their trademark so they sent the blog's owner a letter asking him to stop using it.

Ikeahackers.net is a site that provides information about how to re-purpose Ikea furniture. As Inc. details, the site makes money by using Google Ads. In some instances, one company may be able to use the trademark of another company in a certain region, as long as there is a clear distinction that they are a different company offering a different product or service.

One of the main purposes of a trademark is to make it clear to customers who they are buying products from, and when potential infringement occurs, it may mean this distinction has become muddled. 

According to a recent article from the Houston Chronicle, Ikea decided to stop pursuing its infringement claim against Ikeahackers.net. At first, the site's Malaysia-based owner had convinced Ikea to allow her to continue using the domain name if she agreed to take down the site's advertising. However, the source reports that Ikea is working to find a solution that works for all involved.

The correct use of trademark can be questionable, and as such, companies in Phoenix, AZ considering referencing a trademarked name may want to consult a small business attorney to determine the legal limits of what's possible. 

Categorised in: Intellectual Property Law

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