News

• Salesforce Blocks 'CASEFORCE' Trademark in EU Amid Wider Battle Over Brand Exclusivity in SaaS

  
  
  
  In a 30 April 2025 ruling, the EUIPO Opposition Division upheld Salesforce, Inc.’s challenge to Berlin-based Legal Hero GmbH’s application for the word mark 'CASEFORCE', finding that the sign posed a likelihood of confusion with Salesforce’s earlier registered mark centred on the distinctive term ‘FORCE’. The two signs, while differing in their prefixes, were found to be visually, aurally, and conceptually similar to at least an average degree, with both covering identical or closely related services in Classes 42 and 45—including SaaS, PaaS, and legal support solutions. Following visualisation shows detail on the refused 'FORCE' trademark, illustrating the legal and commercial risks of attempting to register trademarks composed of commonly used generative or modular terms in software branding. The case highlights Salesforce’s active role in defending its extensive naming architecture, which supports flagship offerings like Sales Cloud, Marketing Cloud, and the AI-integrated Einstein 1 Platform. Founded in 1999 and widely credited with popularising the SaaS model, Salesforce holds a 22% share of the global CRM applications market, competing with giants like SAP, Oracle, and Microsoft. As software spending approaches $856 billion globally, this decision reinforces the strategic value—and legal sensitivity—of brand language in an increasingly AI-augmented enterprise tech landscape.
  
  

  
  

  02/05/2025

• An update to our design & design patterns report is now available

    To access it, please log in to your account and go to the "Design" section. If you're not registered yet, simply sign up with your reference number.
  
  
  

  30/04/2025

• Nike Files ‘NIKE REACTX’ Trademark in UK Amid Soaring Brand Strength and Market Growth

  
  
  
  On 11 April, Nike Innovate filed a new UK trademark application for 'NIKE REACTX', targeting the lucrative footwear segment, a move that reflects the brand’s continued drive to consolidate its dominance in a fast-expanding sports equipment market. Industry forecasts predict the UK’s toys and hobby sector—encompassing sports gear—will grow by 12.92% between 2025 and 2029, reaching a record $4.39 billion. Against this backdrop, Nike’s grip on British consumers remains formidable: 98% of sneaker users in the UK recognise the brand, with 66% expressing positive sentiment and over half actively using Nike products. Loyalty levels are particularly robust, with 89% of current users indicating they would repurchase. In 2024, 39% of brand-aware consumers had recently encountered Nike in the media or online, underscoring sustained buzz. Following chart shows the industry portfolio of trademarks filed by Nike Innovate, highlighting the brand’s strategic breadth across various sectors as it continues to defend and expand its innovation leadership in the global sportswear arena.
  
  

  
  

  28/04/2025