Campus vs Campus: Trademark clash highlights rising tensions in brand identity battles
The dispute, now before the Delhi High Court, hinges on the use of the word “Campus”, a shared moniker that has now become a point of contention between the two retail players. Campus Activewear alleges that Campus Sutra has unlawfully used its trademark in a manner that could mislead consumers and dilute brand equity.
ADVERTISEMENT
Campus Activewear has taken fashion label Campus Sutra to court over trademark infringement, a legal showdown that underscores the growing friction between legacy brands and digital-era fashion disruptors.
As per a report by Bar and Bench, the dispute, now before the Delhi High Court, hinges on the use of the word “Campus”, a shared moniker that has now become a point of contention between the two retail players. Campus Activewear alleges that Campus Sutra has unlawfully used its trademark in a manner that could mislead consumers and dilute brand equity.
Campus Sutra, on the other hand, claims the overlap is minimal and unintentional. Represented by Senior Advocate Amit Sibal, the fashion brand told the court that only three of its over 11,000 designs featured the standalone “Campus” mark and that those were listed online inadvertently. The company has since moved to delist the items and committed to refraining from using “Campus” alone on any product until the matter is heard again in November.
Importantly, Campus Sutra has maintained that it has operated under the full name “Campus Sutra” since 2012, never using “Campus” as a standalone identity, particularly not for footwear, the category where Campus Activewear dominates.
Justice Amit Bansal recorded this voluntary undertaking and issued notice to Campus Sutra on the plea for interim relief filed by Campus Activewear, represented by Senior Advocate Sandeep Sethi and the legal team from Panag & Babu.
