August 2018. Energy-drink producer Red Bull has suffered a painful defeat. On 23 May, the Opposition Division of European Trademark Office EUIPO concluded that the device mark of rival energy drink manufacturer Big Horn didn’t infringe its logo and could therefore be registered as a European trademark for energy drinks.

EUIPO says these marks aren’t similar

No correspondence

In a nutshell, EUIPO says the Big Horn trademark simply doesn’t resemble that of Red Bull, so there’s no danger of confusion.

Surprising

It’s a surprising outcome, especially given Red Bull’s impressive track record in winning the many lawsuits and oppositions it has filed surrounding the Red Bull brand name and its distinctive logo. Here are some of the trademarks Red Bull did manage to halt.

Piggy-backing

If you wanted proof that Big Horn’s owners are deliberately piggy-backing on the Red Bull trademark, look no further than their website, which shows the design of the cans their product is sold in.