trademark
Trademark Disputes: Why a Different Number Isn’t a Brand
The Liv-22 vs. Liv.52 dispute underscores a fundamental rule in Indian trademark law: changing a numeral is rarely enough to distinguish a brand. When a mark contains a dominant feature that has achieved significant market recognition, cosmetic alterations to suffixes or numbers are often dismissed by courts. This case reinforces that trademark protection focuses on consumer perception and the overall commercial impression of the brand rather than mechanical typography. For brand owners, this highlights the risks of attempting to piggyback on established goodwill through minor modifications.