Tiger Woods’ apparel brand Sun Day Red is being sued by Puma, which claims the logo is too similar to the German sports giant’s branding.
Woods launched the golf clothing line alongside TaylorMade last year following his split from Nike after a 27-year association. Sun Day Red produces premium-price golf attire and accessories, and its logo features a leaping tiger bearing 15 stripes in a nod to Woods’ major championships.
Puma, however, says the logo is too similar to its own, which has existed in different variations since 1948. And with the companies operating in the same sphere, Puma says confusion is “likely” for customers.
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Puma lodged the complaint with the United States Patent and Trademark Office on Jan. 2. Its filing claims: “Due to the confusing similarity of the marks and the identical, legally identical, or closely related nature of the goods and services of the parties, consumer confusion is likely between the Challenged Marks and the Leaping Cat logo.”
The Mirror has contacted Sun Day Red’s legal representatives for comment.
Puma’s action is the second trademark complaint filed against Sun Day Red. In September, Tigeraire lodged a scathing filing against Woods, TaylorMade and Sun Day Red.
Woods created Sun Day Red after the end of his 27-year relationship with Nike (
Getty Images)
The company, which produces cooling products for athletes, said in its court filing: “The actions of SDR, TaylorMade and Tiger Woods blatantly ignore Tigeraire’s long-standing protected mark, brand and identity, violate federal and state intellectual property law, and disregard the consumer confusion their actions create. SDR’s application should be denied.”
The case remains in litigation in federal court, with Sun Day Red calling for the case to be dismissed and issuing a counter claim that Tigeraire was trying to gain publicity by going after a bigger brand.
“This case, unfortunately, presents the time-worn circumstance of an opportunistic, misguided business attempting to extract an unwarranted financial windfall from a larger and more successful brand, based on threats of legal action and demands for exorbitant sums,” the filing from Woods’ legal team reads.
Woods’ lawyers added that they had attempted in “good faith” to resolve the matter out of court, only to be hit with “outrageous monetary demands” from Tigeraire.
TaylorMade, which supplies Woods’ golf equipment in addition to producing Sun Day Red’s products, said “We feel very confident in our trademarks and logos” in response to Tigeraire’s legal action.
Trademark attorney Josh Gerben, who is not involved in either case, believes Puma’s action could spell trouble for Woods and Sun Day Red. “This is a real fight,” he told CNBC. “Any time you have open litigation you can lose. I think Puma has a legitimate case.”
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