Apple wants a German tourist association to change its logo

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Apfelroute logo 1
Do you think this looks like Apple's logo?
Photo: Apfelroute

Apple is pressuring a German cycle path over its logo, which Apple claims is too close to its own iconic logo.

The Apfelroute logo was intended for a cycling path in the Rhine-Voreifel region of Germany. It is scheduled to open on May 19. The logo has already been slapped on uniforms, bike racks, maps and banners by tourism company Rhine-Voreifel Tourism.

The logo looks somewhat similar to Apple’s own logo. That’s particularly evident with the leaf and “bite” taken out of its right hand side. Apple wants the logo to be modified to remove any similarity.

Managing director of Rhine-Voreifel Tourism, Eva Konrath, told a local publication that, “it’s unbelievable that such a large company is attacking us.”

The company has four employees, and hopes that Apple will settle out of court. Konrath has said that the logo will only be used for the bike path.

What happens next?

It remains to be seen whether Apfelroute will change its materials. Asking for a logo to be modified is not a massive ask. However, it’s understandably a headache for a small business which has already printed up materials.

Apple, for its part, aggressively enforces its trademarks. That’s despite the fact that, someone ironically, it’s been more than happy in the past to steamroll companies when it wants to use branding that they already own.

Source: WDR

Via: Patently Apple

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