The lawsuit filed by Sjóklæðagerðin, the company that owns 66° North, against Olís, a chain of gas stations that sold sandwiches and coffee called Ferkst 66 and Kaffi 66 respectively, has reached a verdict. The Intellectual Property Agency has decided to revoke the trademarks from Kaffi 66 and Ferskt 66, RÚV reports.
The dispute began in December 2018 when a lawyer from Sjóklæðagerðin sent a letter demanding that Olís registration of the trademarks for their sandwiches and coffee be cancelled. “Our client has numerous trademark registrations in Iceland that contain the number 66, which is the main distinctive feature of their logo,” the letter read.
An attorney representing Olís pointed out that the company had restaurants identified by the Grill 66 brand, which referred to the famous highway that ran across the United States. Their menu featured unique items which were named after cities and towns along this highway. Ferskt 66 had been used by Olís since 2016, and would have been an obvious reference to the Grill 66 trademark, which had been registered in February 2011.
66° North was founded in 1926, and is one of the most well-known brands in Iceland. It is commonly referred to simply as 66. A market survey was conducted, which showed that the overwhelming majority of those involved associated the clothing brand with the number 66.
Therefore, the Intellectual Property Agency concluded that the two brands were similar enough to cause confusion, and the agency revoked Olís’ trademarks. As for the future of the company, it’s fun to speculate. Maybe they will go for a different US highway, or embrace an entirely new theme. The treasure of the Cintamani is a fun concept, for example.
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