Porsche has had a trademark for the sound it developed for its electric vehicles rejected in Europe because it isn’t distinctive enough.
In applying with the European Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) to trademark the sound, Porsche said the “sound is futuristic, melodious, and has a certain tempo as well as motives and dynamics.” It claimed the it was “enough to evoke recognition” of the brand, noting that it “combines the typical features of a musical composition, namely dynamics structure and different pitches, and brings them together to create a memorable and unusual sound.”
Porsche also went on to compare its EV sound with the “opening motif of Beethoven’s 5th Symphony, the sound of KITT’s scanner from the Knight Rider television series, or the sound of the Lightsabers from the Star Wars film series.” The EUIPO didn’t agree and rejected the trademark application, stating that it does not distinguish a Porsche vehicle from any other, The Telegraph reports.
Read: Porsche Taycan Cross Turismo Covers Almost 1,200 Miles From Thailand To Singapore In 29 Hours
“According to the Office, it is a sound that, although not realistic, imitates the sound of an internal-combustion engine accelerating until it reaches the desired speed,” the EUIPO said. “The fact that the vehicles themselves do not produce that sound may be known to consumers, but in no way gives them the ability to distinguish the application’s goods and services from similar ones offered by other companies.”
The EUIPO added that the trademark that Porsche applied for is not a musical composition and that it was irrelevant to compare it to a symphony by Beethoven. It added that Porsche’s reference to sounds from series and films is no longer relevant in today’s world.
Drive understands that while the EUIPO has rejected the trademark application, Porsche has launched an appeal.
