Superdry has come to an agreement with Manchester City regarding allegations that the football club’s sponsorship arrangement with the beer producer Asahi’s Super Dry violated its trademark rights.
The retailer was scheduled to appear before the High Court in London on Tuesday, January 14, but the case has been halted following a settlement between the parties, as reported by The Financial Times reported.
Last year, Superdry initiated legal proceedings, demanding that Manchester City cease displaying the beer brand on its sportswear.
Attorneys for Superdry argued that the showcasing of the logo was “likely to deceive” the public into thinking it was associated with the fashion brand, asserting that “the differences between Super ‘Dry’ and Superdry are so slight that they may go unnoticed by the average consumer.”
In 2023, Manchester City designated Asahi’s Super Dry 0.0% as its official training kit partner, featuring the brand prominently on the front of all men’s and women’s first-team training uniforms.
This season’s training kits still bear the Asahi 0.0% branding but have removed the words Super Dry.
In its lawsuit, Superdry contended that Manchester City’s use of the Super Dry name “takes unfair advantage of or causes detriment to the distinctive character or the repute” of its trademark.
On Tuesday, the retailer announced that “the parties have reached a mutual settlement to resolve the dispute,” while specifying that the terms are “confidential.”
Asahi also confirmed that an agreement has been reached, but Manchester City chose not to comment.
Image Source: Tang Yan Song @ShutterStock
