Basic Frit: when a name sounds too good to be true

Imagine, just a week after opening a fry shop with a catchy name, you are forced to change its name.

This happened to Belgian couple Diony Bickx and Sheila Vergauwen, who playfully named their shop "Basic Frit," a nod to the well-known fitness chain "Basic Fit."

The name was meant to create a fun association with pushing oneself to the limit, which one does both in sports and the couple does in their business. Unfortunately, the fitness giant wasn’t a fan of the association and demanded compensation that could reach up to €25,000. As a result, the fry shop had to be rebranded and the couple changed its name to "Magic Frit. 

Being creative with names is fun, but caution is necessary when the name closely resembles an existing brand. For Basic Fit, the association with a fry shop is undesirable and can harm its reputation, as a fitness chain is all about health and fitness. Furthermore, the fry shop takes unfair advantage of Basic Fit’s distinctive character.

For businesses, investing in thorough trademark searches is crucial to avoid such costly situations. A little extra preparation is always worthwhile—just like getting the perfect serving of fries!

Author: Erwin Haüer

Bio: Erwin is a trademark attorney and, as the managing partner, in charge of IT and Information Management. He works extensively with startups and scale-ups, while his clientele also includes numerous multinational corporations. Erwin possesses a sharp wit and a keen eye for remarkable trademark news and curious brand infringements.