Application for registration of “COCO LAB, figure” refused.

CHANEL (FR), owner of Intl. Trademark Registration No.363419 “COCO” designated and currently being in effect in Vietnam (“earlier trademark”) on October 22, 2020 has petitioned with the IP Vietnam to oppose Vietnam Trademark Registration No.4-2019-45797 “COCO LAB, figure” (“applied-for mark”) for products “cosmetics, skin care products: cosmetic masks, shower gels, hair gels, perfumes” in Class 03 on the grounds of confusing similarity to the earlier trademark “COCO”, specifically:

(i) The applied-for trademark “COCO LAB, figure” contains two word elements, namely COCO and LAB, where COCO is the domonating factor, has distinctiveness, and is identical to the earlier trademark COCO. “LAB” is an abbreviation of laboratory which is a common word, in combination with the image of a laboratory describes the products bearing the trademark applied for, regarded as indistinctive and should not be taken into account;

(ii) the products bearing the applied-for trademark and the earlier trademark are similar. Belonging to Class 03.

The IP Vietnam held CHANEL's objection well-founded and, as the prescribed time limit for the objected party to responde the office action has expired but they remained silent, has issued a Notice rejecting the applied-for mark “COCO LAB, figure”./.