The Austrian Patent Office introduced on September 1 the global popularity expansion of the character "Labubu" created by Hong Kong designer Kasing Lung and the challenges of intellectual property protection. Labubu is a blind box toy sold by Chinese company POP MART, which gained explosive popularity after being featured by Lisa of K-pop group "BLACKPINK" in April 2024. POP MART applied for the "LABUBU" trademark with the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) in September 2024 (application number 1819536), but a Turkish company has filed an opposition claiming potential confusion with their trademark "BUBU". Meanwhile, an Italian company's application for "LABUBU" has also raised complex trademark registration issues across Europe.
Hong Kong Designer's Character "Labubu" Faces IP Strategy Challenges in Europe, Complex Trademark and Design Registration Issues Emerge
Overview
The Austrian Patent Office introduced on September 1 the global popularity expansion of the character "Labubu" created by Hong Kong designer Kasing Lung and the challenges of intellectual property pro... The Austrian Patent Office introduced on September 1 the global popularity expansion of the character "Labubu" created by Hong Kong designer Kasing Lung and the challenges of intellectual property pro...
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