Amazon’s Brand Power Prevails in EU Trademark
Jan/21/2026
In a decision that underscores the reach of global brand equity, the EUIPO Opposition Division has rejected in full a trademark application by China-based Kingtec Racing, siding with Amazon Technologies in a case centered on logo similarity and reputational harm. The ruling found that the contested mark — featuring a curved arrow evocative of Amazon’s signature "smile" — would unfairly benefit from Amazon’s formidable reputation, even across largely unrelated goods such as automotive parts and machinery. Drawing on extensive evidence of Amazon’s long-standing presence, market dominance, and brand recognition across the European Union, the decision concluded that consumers would likely form a mental link between the two signs, enabling impermissible free-riding on Amazon’s goodwill. The following visualization illustrates the opposed and ultimately rejected Kingtec Racing trademark, highlighting the curved arrow device and visual patterns that the EUIPO found to be reminiscent of Amazon’s well-known "smile" mark.
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