Nike's Fragrance Game: Exploring Their Cologne Collection

Nike Inc., the well-known American sportswear company, does not make cologne. However, a Spanish perfume brand with the same name, Nike Perfumes, founded in 1929, offers an extensive range of fragrances for men and women. This Spanish brand has no association with the sportswear giant, Nike Inc., and the latter has never ventured into the fragrance industry.

Nike Inc. does not make cologne

Campomar established its business in 1928 and registered its trademark in 1940. The trademark covered all sorts of perfumery products, including soap and fragrances. Campomar brought Nike perfumes to Australia and registered the Nike trademark there in 1984, following other international trademarks already in existence under this name.

Shortly after this, Campomar approached the Nike sportswear company, famous for its swoosh logo, and suggested a collaboration for a sports perfume, which Nike refused. Campomar proceeded to launch their sports fragrance range on their own. In 1993, Campomar released their "Nike Sports" fragrance, which was merchandised alongside other sports fragrances such as Adidas. Although the Nike Sports fragrance was not associated with the Nike sportswear company, the confusion was considered enough to cause Nike to take action.

Nike first requested that Campomar cease using the "Nike" trademark due to the confusion and deception caused to customers. They also claimed that Campomar was "passing off" their product, using the marketing success of Nike shoes to boost sales of their fragrance. The Australian court recognized that Nike sportswear was potentially aggrieved, as the company had a widespread reputation in sportswear and athletic shoes. It is easy to see how consumers could be misled into thinking that Nike sports perfume was related to the well-recognized American company.

The judge agreed that Campomar had deliberately altered their packaging font and marketing campaign to enhance their sales by association with Nike Sportswear. Although Nike sought to remove Campomar's Nike trademark from the registry, Campomar was legally entitled to use it due to having established the trademark before Nike's entry into Australia and proving continuous use since its registration.

The outcome of this battle in Australia was a compromise. Campomar retained its trademark but was obliged to discontinue its sports range. They are not permitted to use the descriptive word "sports" alongside "Nike" in the class 3 categories for soaps and perfumery. This case highlights some grey areas of trademark law, where a pre-existing trademark conflicts with a seemingly unrelated company.

As a result, Campomar was able to stop Nike Sportswear from expanding its product range into perfumes, fragrances, and soaps. Conversely, Nike Sportswear restricted Campomar from adding "Sports" to their Nike-branded fragrances and soaps. With a well-established brand in sports shoes and apparel, this wasn't the ideal outcome for Nike Sportswear, which would have preferred to revoke the Campomar Nike mark and use it themselves.

Nike perfumes are made by De Ruy Perfumes

The company has a strong international presence, with products available in more than 150 countries. De Ruy's portfolio includes recognised licensed and proprietary brands, such as Gisèle Denis, Brummel, Titto Bluni, and Nike. The Nike perfume brand was founded in 1929 and has no relation to the American sportswear company Nike.

De Ruy's internal organisation is divided into two specialised divisions: the Proprietary Brands Division and the Private Labels (PL) Division. The company carefully selects its suppliers and sources materials and essences from the best suppliers worldwide. They are strongly committed to environmental sustainability and operate as a ''Zero Company,' with zero waste and zero emissions.

In the year 2000, it was revealed that De Ruy Perfumes and Nike Inc., the sporting company, were involved in a legal dispute over the use of the "Nike" trademark. Despite De Ruy holding a trademark over the name since 1940, Nike Inc. won the case, preventing De Ruy from briefly selling perfume and cosmetic products under that name.

Nike Inc. and De Ruy Perfumes were in a legal battle

Nike Inc.'s lawyers argued that the Spanish company was trying to 'pass off' its goods as that of Nike Inc.'s, which was already well-known for its presence in the sports industry. The word "sport" on the perfume bottles launched by De Ruy was seen as a deliberate attempt to associate the fragrance with Nike Inc. Despite the ruling in Nike Inc.'s favour, it is important to note that the two companies have nothing in common except for this brief legal battle.

De Ruy Perfumes, now owned by Campomar Societad Limitada, has a long history in the perfume and cosmetics industry. The company has two centres: a corporate centre in Alcalá de Guadaíra, Seville, and a production plant in Antequera, Malaga. De Ruy's internal organisation is divided into two specialised divisions: the Proprietary Brands Division and the Private Labels (PL) Division. The company's products are sold in over 60 countries around the world, with a presence in more than 150 countries. De Ruy is committed to total quality management and has several international certifications to guarantee the quality of its internal processes.

On the other hand, Nike Inc., the American sportswear company, is known for its uber-cool sneakers, footballs, and basketballs, among other sports-related products. While the company has ventured into personal care products like deodorants, it has never manufactured or sold perfumes or cosmetics under its brand name. This is evident from the absence of its famous "swoosh" logo on any deodorant or perfume bottles, as well as the lack of these products on its official web stores or shops.

Nike perfumes are sold in Australia and elsewhere

Campomar obtained the trademark for the name "Nike" in 1940 and has been selling perfumes and cosmetics under that name since then. In 1984, Campomar registered the Nike trademark in Australia and proposed a collaboration with Nike Inc. for a sports perfume, which was refused. Campomar then launched its own sports fragrance range, including the "Nike Sports" fragrance, which was merchandised alongside other sports fragrances such as Adidas.

The release of the "Nike Sports" fragrance caused confusion among consumers, leading to legal action by Nike Inc. The sportswear company argued that Campomar was "passing off" its product by leveraging the marketing success of Nike shoes to boost sales of their fragrance. The Australian court recognised the potential for grievance, given Nike's reputation in sportswear and athletic shoes. The judge agreed that Campomar had deliberately altered its packaging and marketing campaign to enhance sales through association with Nike.

As a result of the legal battle, Campomar retained its trademark for the name "Nike" but was obliged to discontinue its sports fragrance range. They are no longer permitted to use the word "sports" alongside the name "Nike" for soaps and perfumery products. This outcome highlights grey areas of trademark law, where a pre-existing trademark conflicts with a seemingly unrelated company. While Campomar was able to prevent Nike Inc. from expanding into perfumes and fragrances, Nike Inc. restricted Campomar from associating the word "sports" with its Nike-branded fragrances.

Nike Original is a citrus aromatic fragrance for men

Nike Original is a unique, citrusy, spicy fragrance with a refreshing scent. It is rated 4.30 out of 5, with a perfume longevity of 3.43 out of 5 and a sillage of 2.29 out of 4.

The Nike brand, including its fragrances, was created by an enthusiast of Greek mythology who chose the name of the Greek goddess of victory, “Atenea Nikè”. The brand has 71 perfumes in its fragrance base, with the earliest edition created in 1991 and the newest from 2023.

While the Spanish Nike brand has used the name since 1940 and sold perfumes and cosmetics under it, the American sportswear company Nike Inc. won a majority decision in a landmark IP case in 2000.

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