優(yōu)客工場在美被訴商標(biāo)侵權(quán)
上周二,眾創(chuàng)空間鼻祖WeWork在美國對中資公司優(yōu)客工場提起了商標(biāo)侵權(quán)訴訟,并要求該公司立即停止在紐約曼哈頓的推廣計(jì)劃——WeWork的總部就設(shè)在紐約,它也是紐約眾創(chuàng)空間市場上的主宰者。 WeWork在遞交給紐約南區(qū)法庭的起訴書上稱,優(yōu)客工場的品牌形象與其極為相似,很可能會誤導(dǎo)潛在顧客,使其認(rèn)為優(yōu)客工場的服務(wù)與WeWork有關(guān)聯(lián),或者是由后者投資的。 WeWork同時(shí)也對紐約的另一家眾創(chuàng)空間Serendipity Labs提起了訴訟。這家公司于今年七月與優(yōu)客工場達(dá)成了合作,雙方致力于在下曼哈頓區(qū)聯(lián)合打造34,000平方英尺的共享辦公空間。 Serendipity Labs公司并未立即做出回應(yīng)。我們暫時(shí)無法聯(lián)系到優(yōu)客工場對此事進(jìn)行回應(yīng)。 今年7月,Serendipity Labs公司在一份與優(yōu)客工場(北京)創(chuàng)業(yè)投資有限公司聯(lián)合發(fā)布的聲明中稱,這項(xiàng)合作將使該公司的會員能夠立即使用中國的78個(gè)眾創(chuàng)空間。 據(jù)稱,WeWork在全球的53個(gè)城市擁有165個(gè)眾創(chuàng)空間,光是在美國就輻射了20多個(gè)大城市。而且WeWork光是在紐約就有38個(gè)共享辦公地點(diǎn),其中有五個(gè)是在紐約金融區(qū)。而今年11月份,優(yōu)客工場和Serendipity Labs攜手打造的眾創(chuàng)空間也將在這里開張。 WeWork要求陪審團(tuán)參加此案審理,并表示它的“WeWork”商標(biāo)已經(jīng)在消費(fèi)者群體中有了很高的辨識度。 “我們投入了大量時(shí)間和金錢打造了一個(gè)優(yōu)秀的品牌,確保了我們的品牌名稱只與WeWork及其產(chǎn)品和服務(wù)相關(guān)?!痹摴景l(fā)言人多米尼克?麥克馬倫表示。 WeWork在起訴書中稱,優(yōu)客工場的英文名字UrWork與WeWork的商標(biāo)上有相同的決定性特征——都是由兩個(gè)音節(jié)組成的單詞,且前一部分都是兩個(gè)字母的人稱代詞,后面都以Work結(jié)尾。 該起訴書還表示,優(yōu)客工場創(chuàng)始人毛大慶也承認(rèn)優(yōu)客工場的英文名字受到了WeWork的影響。但起訴書同時(shí)也承認(rèn),在中國,優(yōu)客工場的中文名字無論從字形、字音還是含義,都與WeWork有很大區(qū)別。 WeWork表示,優(yōu)客工場還抄襲了WeWork的logo和移動應(yīng)用的圖標(biāo)設(shè)計(jì)。 WeWork還表示,它在美國注冊了大量相關(guān)商標(biāo),并依法享有各種權(quán)利。 起訴書還指出,2016年,美國專利與商標(biāo)局曾表示,WeWork用于租賃共享辦公空間的商標(biāo)權(quán)是“無可非議的”。 優(yōu)客工場曾表示,在獲得了紅杉資本、真格基金等風(fēng)投的融資后,該公司的估值已達(dá)到14億美元,并表示它在港臺和倫敦等地正在積極建立合資公司,在新加坡也建設(shè)了自己的眾創(chuàng)空間。 據(jù)WeWork稱,優(yōu)客工場還計(jì)劃于2017年第四季度進(jìn)入洛杉磯市場。另外優(yōu)客工場還將進(jìn)入舊金山,只不過時(shí)間尚未確定。(財(cái)富中文網(wǎng)) 譯者:賈政景 |
WeWork filed a lawsuit against Chinese company UrWork for trademark infringement in a federal court on Tuesday and demanded the firm stop a planned launch in Manhattan where the New York-based shared workspace company dominates the market. WeWork said in court papers filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York that a confusingly similar brand would deceive potential customers into believing UrWork's services are affiliated or sponsored by WeWork. The complaint was also filed against Serendipity Labs, a shared workplace provider based in Rye, New York that announced in July a partnership with UrWork to open a 34,000 square foot co-branded location in Lower Manhattan. Serendipity had no immediate comment. UrWork could not be immediately reached for comment. In July, Serendipity said in a joint statement with UrWork (Beijing) Venture Investment, as the company is formally known, that the deal would give its members immediate access to 78 locations in China. WeWork said it has 165 locations in 53 cities worldwide, including more than 20 major U.S. cities. WeWork operates 38 locations in New York City, including five in the Financial District where the UrWork-Serendipity Labs venture is set to launch in November. WeWork, which has demanded a trial jury, said it has achieved significant recognition in the minds of coworking consumers through its "WeWork" trademark. "WeWork has invested substantial time and money building a superior brand to ensure that our brand name is uniquely associated with WeWork and its offerings," said company spokesman Dominic McMullan. The complaint said the name UrWork shares the defining characteristics of WeWork's trademark - a two-syllable word beginning with a two-letter pronoun joined with the word "Work." Founder Mao Daqing has acknowledged the UrWork name is a play on WeWork, the complaint said. But in China, UrWork employs Chinese characters that have a different look, sound and meaning, the complaint said. UrWork also copied the design of WeWork's logo and the icon on its mobile app, WeWork said in the complaint. WeWork said it owns numerous U.S. trademark registrations for WeWork and extensive common law rights. In 2016, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office declared WeWork's trademark for leasing and renting office space "incontestable," the complaint said. UrWork has said it is valued at $1.4 billion after fundraising from Sequoia Capital, Zhen Fund and others. The firm said it has joint ventures in Taiwan, Hong Kong and London underway and a location in Singapore. UrWork plans to open in Los Angeles in the fourth quarter of 2017 and at an unspecified date in San Francisco, WeWork said. |