‘Glee’ club succeeds over cult TV show in trade mark battle

An appeal has been lost by US TV show ‘Glee’ producers in the Court of Appeal after it was ruled they were liable for trade mark infringement.

They have infringed the trade marks of a London based club named the Glee Club.

The trade marks in question were registered more than 10 years ago before 20^th Century Fox started to produce the American high school TV show.

Comic Enterprise, the umbrella organisation that owns the Glee Club, originally argued in the High Court that their trade marks were infringed in 2014. In this ruling the High Court stated there had been infringement of the trade marks through episodes, sin-off songs, DVD’s ad merchandise all released in the UK.

Sharon Daboul, trademark attorney at IP law firm EIP, said the decision was a reminder that registered trademarks offer powerful protection regardless of a company’s size.

“Even though Comic Enterprises and Fox do not appear to be in the same area of business, the trademark registration was deemed broad enough to cover Fox’s use of the mark on the ‘Glee’ television show.”

Fox will now have to put a rebrand into motion which can be very costly and will have a detrimental effect on their viewing figures.

This is an example of how the law will prevail against big corporations when they are in the wrong.

By Ellis Sweetenham