A Chinese company had the audacity to copy and attempt to register a UK company’s mark WORD FOR WORD in China.
A UK personal care brand, “facefacts”, created by our client “Q Company” in 2019, has grown rapidly in the global skincare market. Today, the brand sells 180+ personal care products across 70+ countries but in August 2024, something alarming appeared in China’s trademark register.
Another party had applied to register “facefacts” using the exact same wording and also for the class of skincare products. Even worse, the application had already passed the initial examination. At that point, the only way to stop the registration was to file a trademark opposition.
The core argument put forward by attorney Florine Tang 汤碧云 and team Tranfan Law Office 全方知识产权 was straightforward:
This was no coincidence. It was copying.
We demonstrated that:
• The opposed trademark was identical to the earlier “facefacts” brand
• The visual presentation created a highly similar overall impression
• The goods involved were in Class 3 skincare products, directly overlapping with the brand’s market
• The applicant had a pattern of registering well-known foreign brands, showing clear bad faith
After review, the China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA) reached the same conclusion. The authority found that the applicant had obvious intent to copy other brands and had filed multiple similar trademark applications.
This behavior:
• Disrupts fair market competition
• Disturbs the trademark registration system
• Violates the principles of the Trademark Law
As a result, CNIPA ruled that the “facefacts” trademark registration should not be approved.
The practical lesson: Trademark squatting still happens especially against international brands entering new markets.But the key is speed and strategy.
When improper registrations appear, rights holders should consider:
• Trademark opposition
• Invalidation proceedings
• Litigation if necessary
Early action helps build a strong brand defense wall before copycats gain legal rights.