China university trademarks emblem, sparks speculation over potential Armani logo dispute

The prestigious Zhejiang University in eastern China has registered its eagle-shaped pattern on the school emblem as a trademark, sparking heated discussion on social media that the move was aimed at preventing a possible legal battle with the luxury brand Armani.The eagle in the university’s badge bears a striking visual resemblance to the logo of the Italian high-end fashion brand, the China Business News reported.Many Chinese netizens said the university – based in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province – did the right thing by registering its trademark to avoid any potential lawsuit, given that the domestic milk tea brand Molly Tea was recently ordered to pay 10.3 million yuan (US$1.5 million) to the French luxury house Louis Vuitton for infringing seven of LV’s registered four-petal flower trademarks.The eagle featured in the university’s emblem closely resembles the logo of the renowned Italian fashion label. Photo: SohuThe topic came under the spotlight after receiving more than 400 million views on Weibo alone.Zhejiang University’s round badge contains both the Chinese and English names of the school, along with an eagle in the centre and the number 1897 below. The number represents the university’s founding on the legacy of Qiushi Academy, which was established in 1897.The eagle is said to symbolise a spirit of enterprise and exploration.According to Zhang Yifeng, a consultant from Hangzhou-henghui-trademark-affairs-firm" class="entity-link entity-organization" data-entity-id="164214" data-entity-type="organization">Hangzhou Henghui Trademark Affairs Firm who represents Zhejiang University, the school registered the eagle pattern as its trademark at the end of last year because many small companies printed the design on their products.The Armani" class="entity-link entity-person" data-entity-id="10058" data-entity-type="person">Giorgio Armani logo prominently showcases a stylised eagle, which has become a defining symbol of the brand over the years. Photo: Sohu“We found some tourist products or consumer goods such as caps carrying the design of our eagle. This would let consumers think of Zhejiang University but it is completely irrelevant,” Zhang was quoted as saying.But he denied the massive online speculation, saying: “Our trademark registration is not related to the luxury brand that internet users mentioned.”The university registered the eagle trademark across various categories given that it is a comprehensive institution with disciplines covering medicine, agriculture, law and electronics.Zhang said the period between filing a trademark application and receiving the certificate usually lasts around 11 months.Further Reading“So far we have received some certificates, while some are still under review,” he said.The current badge of Zhejiang University was finalised in 1991 by keeping the basic form of the eagle.The new gate of Zijingang Campus at Zhejiang University in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, measures an impressive 88 metres in length and 14.6 metres in height. Photo: Costfoto/Future Publishing via Getty ImagesThe eagle, nicknamed Qiushi Eagle, was first adopted as a symbol for the university in the 1920s. Qiushi means seeking the truth in Chinese.The news has sparked widespread discussion on mainland social media.“If successfully registered as a trademark, Zhejiang University can sue Armani. Its School of Law students will get some practice on how to deal with trademark disputes, ha,” one internet user commented.Another person said: “I praise Zhejiang University’s foresight. Otherwise it will follow the milk tea company’s path.”