Adidas is backpedaling fast over its latest attempt to protect its iconic three-stripe mark.
The German sportswear company said Wednesday it was dropping its opposition to an attempt by a Black Lives Matter campaign group to trademark a logo featuring three parallel stripes.
“Adidas will withdraw its opposition to the Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation’s trademark application as soon as possible,” a company spokesperson said in a statement.
Adidas (ADDDF) filed a complaint with the United States Patent and Trademark Office on Monday, arguing that the foundation’s logo was “likely to cause confusion” with its own three-stripe logo featured on its apparel.
It said the foundation’s mark was likely to “dilute the distinctiveness” of its logo as consumers would be less likely to associate a three-stripe design exclusively with Adidas.
Adidas asked the trademark office to prevent the foundation from including its three-stripe mark on items that it sells, including t-shirts and bags.
The foundation did not immediately respond to CNN’s request for comment.
Adidas retracted its complaint over fears that it could be seen as an objection to the cause of Black Lives Matter (BLM), Reuters reported, citing an unnamed source close to the company.
BLM is a decentralized movement that emerged a decade ago on Twitter in protest against police violence toward Black people in the United States. The movement went global in 2020 following the murder of George Floyd. The Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation is a nonprofit organization that supports the wider BLM movement.
Adidas declined to comment further to CNN.
