DT in legal battle over ownership of the colour magenta

Deutsche Telekom is testing out the resourcefulness of its lawyers in an attempt to own the colour magenta as it battles with Israeli insurance start-up Lemonade.

Shortly after launched the online-only insurance brand in the German market, a court injunction was filed by the telco with Lemonade being told to remove all branding with the offending colour. It does seem quite remarkable a company can ‘own’ a colour, but that it was the German courts have ruled.

Although the ruling is limited to the German markets for the moment, Lemonade is escalating the legal fracas to the European Union Intellectual Property Office to invalidate the decision. As with many legal decisions of this nature, there is the risk of precedent being set, with this ruling being used as a basis for future decisions in additional markets, though Lemonade wants to cut the monopoly down before any momentum can be gathered.

“At first we thought it was a joke,” Lemonade co-founder Shai Winiger said on Twitter.

“Turns out its anything but funny. So, we’re doing the one thing they least expect, by launching a legal attack against the ability of corporations to own things that should belong to humanity as a whole – like colours.”

What is slightly baffling about this case is the free-reign Deutsche Telekom has been handed by the courts. The patent doesn’t seem to be related to the use of magenta with certain letters, a concept, design or services, it apparently ‘owns’ magenta in Germany.

Launching the hashtag #FreethePink, the Lemonade team is challenging what seems to be a remarkable decision. The legal challenge is also generating a handy amount of PR for the business, which has its eyes set on international expansion after a positive start to life in Israel.

And as one would imagine, support on social media is gathering behind Lemonade with several users suggesting new targets for the telco to chase after. Perhaps the Pink Panther will be tackled next, or the hideous and slightly terrifying Troll Doll should start quaking it its boots. Maybe even Barney might be hauled out of retired to defend his tone, or if Deutsche Telekom fancies bullying children, it could take-on the Power Puff Girls.

Of course, this is not the first time Deutsche Telekom has attempted to use its legal weight to bully start-ups who dared to cross its colour palette. Dutch IT firm Compello felt the legal stick over the use of pink in its own logo, while dataJAR in the UK was also a victim.

Interestingly enough, in the case with Lemonade, the firm has not even been using the shade of pink Deutsche Telekom holds the patent for.

DT currently owns the patent for RAL 4010, a shade which is incredibly similar to the one being used by Lemonade, but not exactly the same. Following the ruling out of Germany, Lemonade has received a colour wheel from the telco, pointing out the colours it cannot use, one of which would be more readily described as Purple.

Although it might seem baffling a corporation can ‘own’ a colour outright, hopefully there will be some common sense shown by the European Union Intellectual Property Office and DT will be put in its place.