You might not think that a boxer like Conor McGregor could become embroiled in a trademark dispute with a makeup company, but this is exactly what happened. The boxer recently filed a petition to trademark his infamous nickname, “Mystic Mac.” However, Esté Lauder is citing a challenge to the trademarking of the name because of its makeup brand MAC.
MAC is concerned that Mystic Mac could apply his moniker to toiletry brands and it created the “likelihood of confusion on the part of the public.” Another company, Mac Jeans, also filed to oppose McGregor’s request to trademark his nickname. The jeans company is worried that Mystic Mac could apply his name to clothing and this would create confusion among the public.
This is not the only trademark trouble experienced by McGregor. Last September, he attempted to create a brand of whiskey with his nickname, Notorious. This trademark was challenged by Seamus O’Hara from the Carlow Brewing Company which produces a beer known as Notorious Red IPA.
It seems that McGregor will need to get more creative with his names if he is unable to successfully overcome the challenges to his trademark requests. With a sound legal plan, he will have a better chance of using the names he wants, but if a trademark request is canceled, then a filer may have no choice but to go back to the drawing board and decide on a new name.
It’s vital to research a potential trademark before filing to claim it. By conducting thorough research, individuals can bypass a lot of trouble and cost in the event their trademark request gets challenged.
Source: balls.ie/, “Conor McGregor Involved In Trademark Dispute With Make-Up Company,” Gavin Cooney, Feb. 06, 2018