Car insurance news

Online car insurance firm beaten by 'phone-on-wheels'
07/08/2007

After a long-running battle with Direct Line, online car insurance provider esure has lost the right to trademark its 'mouse-on-wheels'. In June 2007, the mark was finally deemed too similar to Direct Line's own 'phone-on-wheels'; bringing to an end a court case which has been running since September 2004.

Back then, the mouse-on-wheels was esure's follow-up in to a highly successful marketing campaign featuring Michael Winner. The company made its trademark application a few days before the first commercial was broadcast, but this was blocked by Direct Line.

Bosses at the rival motor insurance firm opposed esure's mark for two reasons. First, they claimed it would be mistaken for Direct Line's own device, confusing customers about the differences between the two firms. Second, they argued that their advertising idea - attaching wheels to a communications device in order to associate it with cars and car insurance - had been copied, meaning that the unique effectiveness of the phone-on-wheels had been compromised.

Initially, the Trade Mark Registry found in esure's favour, but a subsequent hearing and High Court ruling both went the other way. Though confusing one mark for the other was deemed unlikely, the Courts agreed with Direct Line's assertion that the online car insurance brand was trading on a reputation they had created, describing the mouse-on-wheels as 'parasitic and unfair'.

 

 

 

 

More Cheap Car Insurance News

Test needs toughening, drivers say
Fire board fries Top Gear
Admiral switches ad agencies
Swinton calls for clearer laws
Strasbourg rules in favour of speed cameras
Ireland considers switching from gore to gags
Biba asks young drivers to chose sensibly
Ford, Hoot and young drivers
Volvo might go back to Sweden
UK drivers want more online services
Dayinsure teams up with Mondial
Insurance prices hit two-year high
M&S tells holidaymakers to cover up
Wisconsin best for low cost car insurance
GDL makes no impact in New Jersey
Safeco empowers mum and dad
Ford Testimonials
Classic Ford models
Ideas for Ford enthusiasts
Audi scoops security award
Yes Insurance calls for blackspot improvements
Brits baffled by foreign car cover
The end of cheap car insurance?
Flux offers drifter discount
Budget renews broker relationships
Peugeot sponsors Young Driver of the Year
Yorkshire teen escapes unscathed
Ford Buyer's Guide
Stepdad's assumption costs teen dear
Dodgers spurred on by DVLA data

Car Insurance News Archive