Zodiac locks horns with US namesake in trademark battle
Premium menswear maker Zodiac, which has been trying to enter the North American market under its own brand name, has been faced with an unusual hurdle in registering its trademark in the US.
By Parvathy Ullatil, TNN |
MUMBAI: Premium menswear maker Zodiac, which has been trying to enter the North American market under its own brand name, has been faced with an unusual hurdle in registering its trademark in the US.
A footwear company which goes by the same name has already registered the Zodiac brand in the US making it difficult for the clothing company to register its trademark.
The two companies are currently in negotiations trying to figure a way out to co-exist in the US market. “A similar problem arose when we were trying to enter the Middle-East market but we were able to resolve that issue amicably. We hope to do the same in North America too,” said Zodiac Clothing vice-chairman & MD Anees Noorani.
Zodiac has been selling its products in the Middle East and west Europe under its own brand name for some time now. Zodiac’s main markets outside India are the Gulf countries, Switzerland and Holland. Zodiac has had to stop sales in the UK as its local retail partner Ciro Citterio was sold off to another group.
The company is currently in the process of identifying a new partner in the country. Zodiac has been largely relying on multibrand outlets and large format stores to sell its clothing range in overseas markets but now the company is readying to set up its own stand-alone stores in the Middle East, Europe and North America.
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The companies will kick-start its retail drive abroad by launching its first stand-alone store in Dubai in the first quarter of 2007. On the domestic market front, Zodiac’s board has approved a proposal to set up 30 exclusive stores every year for the next three years. It currently operates 50 exclusive outlets across the country, the number is expected to go up to 125-150 by 2009. Domestic sales currently constitute 30% of Zodiac’s total turnover, with the setting up of the new exclusive outlets the proportion of domestic retail sales is expected to go up. The company also stocks its clothing range at over 1,000 multi-brand outlets and large format stores.
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