Minnesota-based eyewear company Eyebobs asked a federal judge to halt the sale of Snap Inc.’s camera-equipped Spectacles as its trademark suit against the tech firm proceeds through the courts.
Snap started selling its eyewear last year, through pop-up vending machines around the country for $130 each. Eyebobs argued in its suit, filed in Minnesota federal court last year, that the Spectacles logo is too similar to its own.
“Regrettably, Snap Inc. has been unwilling to take this infringement seriously and Eyebobs now has to take the necessary steps to address the situation to defend and protect the company’s trademark in court,” said Eyebobs’ attorney James Steffen Thursday.
Eyebobs’ trademarked logo is a stylized black and white eyeball design, often presented with a golden-yellow background. The company feels Snap’s logo, a similar eye design on a bright yellow background, is clearly infringing.
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“The eyebobs brand and logo is the cornerstone of our identity,” said Michael Magerman, Eyebobs’ chief executive officer. “Ultimately, the new ‘Spectacles’ logo is nearly identical to the one our customers have become familiar with over the past 15 years. Allowing another business — particularly one selling sunglasses — to use that mark would be very damaging to our business’ growth and expansion in the years ahead.”
Eyebobs company describes itself as a “fashion-forward” high-quality eyewear brand, and in its initial court complaint said that it’s “a growing company with big plans” that will be irreparably harmed if Snap isn’t prevented from selling and marketing Spectacles with its current logo.
Snap has yet to formally respond to the Eyebobs suit. A representative of Snap could not be reached immediately for comment.
Spectacles mark Snap’s first product extension and operate essentially as a field of vision camera, but the sunglasses hit the market and struck experts as something facing plenty of obstacles, including overcoming comparison to the failed Google Glass.