{"id":17630,"date":"2025-02-17T06:00:49","date_gmt":"2025-02-17T06:00:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/letslaw.es\/?p=17630"},"modified":"2025-02-06T10:21:19","modified_gmt":"2025-02-06T10:21:19","slug":"peruvian-trademark-wins-mcdonalds","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/letslaw.es\/en\/peruvian-trademark-wins-mcdonalds\/","title":{"rendered":"Peruvian trademark wins intellectual property battle against McDonald\u2019s"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The case between McDonald\u2019s and the Peruvian entrepreneur who attempted to register the trademark \u00abMC HAPPY BAR\u00bb before the National Institute for the Defense of Competition and the Protection of Intellectual Property (hereinafter, \u00abIndecopi\u00bb) serves as a relevant example of how large multinational corporations aggressively defend their <\/span><a title=\"intellectual property lawyers\" href=\"https:\/\/letslaw.es\/en\/intellectual-property\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">intellectual property rights<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> against local trademarks.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In this case, the applicant sought to register a trademark related to the gastronomic service industry, consisting of the prefix \u00abMC\u00bb and the term \u00abHAPPY BAR\u00bb. At first glance, these terms could evoke positive connotations related to food consumption, but they also prompted an immediate reaction from McDonald\u2019s, given that \u00abMC\u00bb and \u00abHAPPY\u00bb are key elements in several of its registered trademarks, such as McDonald\u2019s, McCaf\u00e9, and the well-known Happy Meal.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Thus, the registration raised a <\/span><b>controversy regarding the potential clash between the local applicant&#8217;s rights and McDonald\u2019s pre-existing rights<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">McDonald\u2019s opposition to the trademark registration<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">McDonald\u2019s, through its legal team, filed a formal opposition to the registration of the \u00abMC HAPPY BAR\u00bb trademark, primarily arguing the following:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Risk of confusion<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: the use of the prefix \u00abMC\u00bb and the term \u00abHAPPY\u00bb could cause confusion among consumers, leading them to mistakenly believe that the Peruvian business was affiliated with the multinational chain.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Prestige of its trademarks<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: McDonald\u2019s provided its trademark portfolio, which enjoys global recognition, granting it the status of \u201cwell-known trademarks\u201d according to international legal standards.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Unfair advantage of another\u2019s goodwill<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: the registration of \u00abMC HAPPY BAR\u00bb could constitute an attempt to capitalize on McDonald\u2019s reputation and commercial value.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These arguments are not new in McDonald\u2019s legal strategy, which has historically defended the \u00abMC\u00bb and \u00abMAC\u00bb prefixes as distinctive elements both in Latin America and Europe.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Indecopi\u2019s resolution<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The resolution, issued on October 4, 2024, emphasized that the services offered by \u00abMC HAPPY BAR\u00bb, focused on bartending activities, are clearly different from the fast-food services associated with McDonald\u2019s. Specifically, Indecopi based its decision on the following key points:<\/span><\/p>\n<ol>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Possible coexistence<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: Indecopi concluded that there was no significant likelihood of confusion between \u00abMC HAPPY BAR\u00bb and McDonald\u2019s trademarks, arguing that local consumers would be able to differentiate between the two businesses.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Absence of unfair advantage of another\u2019s goodwill<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: it was not conclusively proven that the applicant sought to benefit from McDonald\u2019s prestige.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Balance in trademark protection<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: the resolution highlighted the importance of not allowing large multinationals to limit the market access of local brands through disproportionate oppositions.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This resolution has been a milestone in the defence of local brands against large multinationals, highlighting the importance of the balance between protecting intellectual property and encouraging local creativity and entrepreneurship.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However, it is likely that this case would have been different if it had been analysed by the EUIPO, as <\/span><b>European regulations grant a stricter level of protection to well-known brands<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, which significantly increases the risk of losing legal disputes against large companies such as McDonald&#8217;s. Therefore, in order to avoid this type of conflict with pre-existing trademarks, it is of vital importance to carry out a thorough analysis prior to <\/span><a title=\"trademark registration lawyers\" href=\"https:\/\/letslaw.es\/en\/trademark-registration\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">registering a trademark<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"cyp_post_formulario\"><h2>Contact Us<\/h2>\n<div class=\"wpcf7 no-js\" id=\"wpcf7-f3074-o1\" lang=\"es-ES\" dir=\"ltr\" data-wpcf7-id=\"3074\">\n<div class=\"screen-reader-response\"><p role=\"status\" aria-live=\"polite\" aria-atomic=\"true\"><\/p> <ul><\/ul><\/div>\n<form action=\"\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17630#wpcf7-f3074-o1\" method=\"post\" class=\"wpcf7-form init wpcf7-acceptance-as-validation\" aria-label=\"Formulario de contacto\" novalidate=\"novalidate\" data-status=\"init\">\n<fieldset class=\"hidden-fields-container\"><input type=\"hidden\" name=\"_wpcf7\" value=\"3074\" \/><input type=\"hidden\" name=\"_wpcf7_version\" value=\"6.1.5\" \/><input type=\"hidden\" name=\"_wpcf7_locale\" value=\"es_ES\" \/><input type=\"hidden\" name=\"_wpcf7_unit_tag\" value=\"wpcf7-f3074-o1\" \/><input type=\"hidden\" name=\"_wpcf7_container_post\" value=\"0\" \/><input type=\"hidden\" name=\"_wpcf7_posted_data_hash\" value=\"\" \/><input type=\"hidden\" name=\"_wpcf7_recaptcha_response\" value=\"\" \/>\n<\/fieldset>\n<div class=\"campo_nombre\" style=\"width:100%\"> <span class=\"wpcf7-form-control-wrap\" data-name=\"your-name\"><input size=\"40\" maxlength=\"400\" class=\"wpcf7-form-control wpcf7-text wpcf7-validates-as-required datos-contacto2\" aria-required=\"true\" aria-invalid=\"false\" placeholder=\"Name\" value=\"\" type=\"text\" name=\"your-name\" \/><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"campo_telefono\" style=\"width:100%\"> <span class=\"wpcf7-form-control-wrap\" data-name=\"your-phone\"><input size=\"40\" maxlength=\"400\" class=\"wpcf7-form-control wpcf7-tel wpcf7-validates-as-required wpcf7-text wpcf7-validates-as-tel datos-contacto2\" aria-required=\"true\" aria-invalid=\"false\" placeholder=\"Phone\" value=\"\" type=\"tel\" name=\"your-phone\" \/><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"campo_email\" style=\"width:100%\"> <span class=\"wpcf7-form-control-wrap\" data-name=\"your-email\"><input size=\"40\" maxlength=\"400\" class=\"wpcf7-form-control wpcf7-email wpcf7-validates-as-required wpcf7-text wpcf7-validates-as-email datos-contacto2\" aria-required=\"true\" aria-invalid=\"false\" placeholder=\"Email\" value=\"\" type=\"email\" name=\"your-email\" \/><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"campo_asunto\" style=\"width:100%\"> <span class=\"wpcf7-form-control-wrap\" data-name=\"your-asunto\"><input size=\"40\" maxlength=\"400\" class=\"wpcf7-form-control wpcf7-text wpcf7-validates-as-required datos-contacto2\" aria-required=\"true\" aria-invalid=\"false\" placeholder=\"Subject\" value=\"\" type=\"text\" name=\"your-asunto\" \/><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"campo_mensaje\" style=\"width:100%\"> <span class=\"wpcf7-form-control-wrap\" data-name=\"your-mensaje\"><textarea cols=\"40\" rows=\"10\" maxlength=\"2000\" class=\"wpcf7-form-control wpcf7-textarea wpcf7-validates-as-required datos-contacto2\" aria-required=\"true\" aria-invalid=\"false\" placeholder=\"Message\" name=\"your-mensaje\"><\/textarea><\/span><\/div>\n<input class=\"wpcf7-form-control wpcf7-hidden\" value=\"\" type=\"hidden\" name=\"cyp_form_url\" \/>\n<input class=\"wpcf7-form-control wpcf7-hidden\" value=\"cyp_zonaweb\" type=\"hidden\" name=\"zonaweb\" \/>\n<span class=\"wpcf7-form-control-wrap recaptcha\" data-name=\"recaptcha\"><span data-sitekey=\"6LfbCuUpAAAAAGu5f0__hms_y9Kscc_NCNdDGnEJ\" class=\"wpcf7-form-control wpcf7-recaptcha g-recaptcha\"><\/span>\r\n<noscript>\r\n\t<div class=\"grecaptcha-noscript\">\r\n\t\t<iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/recaptcha\/api\/fallback?k=6LfbCuUpAAAAAGu5f0__hms_y9Kscc_NCNdDGnEJ\" frameborder=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" width=\"310\" height=\"430\">\r\n\t\t<\/iframe>\r\n\t\t<textarea name=\"g-recaptcha-response\" rows=\"3\" cols=\"40\" placeholder=\"Aqu\u00ed la respuesta de reCAPTCHA\">\r\n\t\t<\/textarea>\r\n\t<\/div>\r\n<\/noscript>\r\n<\/span>\n<div style=\"width:100%\">\n<p class=\"form-input-check\" style=\"color:#444444 !important;padding:0px !important;margin:0px !important;font-size:12px !important;margin-bottom:15px !important\">\nBy clicking on \"Send\" you accept our <a href=\"https:\/\/letslaw.es\/en\/privacy-policy\/\" target=\"_blank\">Privacy Policy<\/a> - <a href=\"javascript:\/\/\" class=\"cyp_legal_popup_ingles\">+ Info<\/a>\n<\/p>\n<p class=\"form-input-check\" style=\"color:#444444 !important;padding:0px !important;margin:0px !important;font-size:12px !important\">\n<span class=\"wpcf7-form-control-wrap\" data-name=\"checkbox-173\"><span class=\"wpcf7-form-control wpcf7-checkbox wpcf7-exclusive-checkbox\"><span class=\"wpcf7-list-item first last\"><label><input type=\"checkbox\" name=\"checkbox-173\" value=\"\" \/><span class=\"wpcf7-list-item-label\"><\/span><\/label><\/span><\/span><\/span> I agree to receive outlined commercial communications from LETSLAW, S.L. in accordance with the provisions of our <a href=\"https:\/\/letslaw.es\/en\/privacy-policy\/\" target=\"_blank\">Privacy Policy<\/a> - <a href=\"javascript:\/\/\" class=\"cyp_legal_popup\">+ Info<\/a>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"vc_col-sm-12 botton-datos-contacto\"><input class=\"wpcf7-form-control wpcf7-submit has-spinner\" type=\"submit\" value=\"Send\" \/><\/div><input type='hidden' class='wpcf7-pum' value='{\"closepopup\":false,\"closedelay\":0,\"openpopup\":false,\"openpopup_id\":0}' \/><div class=\"wpcf7-response-output\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/div>\n<\/form>\n<\/div>\n<div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The case between McDonald\u2019s and the Peruvian entrepreneur who attempted to register the trademark \u00abMC HAPPY BAR\u00bb.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":67,"featured_media":17632,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[258],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-17630","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-digital-law"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/letslaw.es\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17630","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/letslaw.es\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/letslaw.es\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/letslaw.es\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/67"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/letslaw.es\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=17630"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/letslaw.es\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17630\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":17631,"href":"https:\/\/letslaw.es\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17630\/revisions\/17631"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/letslaw.es\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/17632"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/letslaw.es\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=17630"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/letslaw.es\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=17630"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/letslaw.es\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=17630"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}