Recently, the Trademark Review and Adjudication Board (TRAB) under the State Administration for Industry and Commerce (SAIC) made a ruling affirming the registration of No. 4831530 trademark “LOVOL” of Hebei Aulion Heavy Industries Co., Ltd. and denied Volvo Trademark Holding AB’s claim against registration of LOVOL as a trademark
TRAB held that, although the trademarks of LOVOL and VOLVO are both composed of five English letters, the consequences and the pronunciation of the two marks are obviously different. Significant distinctions exist in visual and aural effect so that no confusion can be caused among the public.
Besides, automobile are often deemed as the special consumption articles, and even though the two marks are both used in the category of vehicles and Volvo is of higher popularity, consumers will be more cautious when they decide to purchase. Therefore the two marks would not mislead them. The TRAB then held that the trademark “LOVOL” is not identical with VOLVO and no infringement of VOLVO’s prior right is found.
