Adidas backtracks on US Black Lives Matter design opposition

Adidas has backtracked on its opposition to an application for a Black Lives Matters trademark which features three parallel stripes.

The sportswear giant has not commented on its reasons for the U-turn.

On Monday, Adidas had urged the US Trademark Office in a filing to reject an application for the Black Lives Matter, arguing it could mislead the public.

It had said that the Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation’s yellow-stripe design would create confusion with its own famous three-stripe mark.

Adidas said in the filing that it has been using its logo since as early as 1952, and that it has acquired “international fame and tremendous public recognition,” and that the Black Lives Matters’ logo could be confused for its own.

The company had sought to block the group’s application to use the design on goods that the German sportswear maker also sells, such as shirts, hats and bags.

But on Wednesday, it reversed its position, telling the BBC: “Adidas will withdraw its opposition to the Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation’s trademark application as soon as possible.”

The Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation is the most prominent entity in the decentralised Black Lives Matter movement.

The group applied for a federal trademark in November 2020 covering a yellow three-stripe design to use on a variety of products including clothing, publications, bags, bracelets and mugs.

Adidas has filed over 90 lawsuits and signed more than 200 settlement agreements related to the three-stripe trademark since 2008.

In one case, the brand brought a claim against US fashion designer Thom Browne over his use of a stripe pattern.

A jury decided in January Mr Browne’s patterns did not violate Adidas’ trademark rights.