November 2019. UK company Duf Ltd., which had planned to broadcast a TV talent show for animals called The Pets Factor, has been forced to look for a new title after FremantleMedia, the organisation behind The X Factor, successfully filed an opposition in the UK against the name The Pets Factor.

50 countries

According to the UK’s Intellectual Property Office, the trademark The X Factor has huge global reputation. The title The Pets Factor naturally immediately calls up associations with the successful TV format, which is aired in more than 50 countries.

Unfairly advantage

The IPO therefore concluded that Duf Ltd would take unfair advantage from The X Factor’s reputation and wouldn’t register the trademark. This could result in the collapse of the entire show, since without the name there’s little point in continuing. The moral of the tale? Piggybacking on the reputation of a well-known trademark is always a risk.

Bas Kist