While owning a trademark protects a brand name, it does not guarantee exclusivity of use of that name. Many companies own similar brand names, called "brand twins", even if they operate in different product categories. This can cause confusion for consumers and difficulties for companies in positioning themselves. Examples given include Domino's Pizza and Domino Sugar, Amul dairy and Amul Macho clothing, Apple electronics and Apple Records, and Finlandia vodka and Finlandia cheese. When similar brand names exist for different products and companies, it creates ambiguity for customers and can negatively impact brand loyalty, recall, and identification. It may also make it harder for companies to gain or maintain their market share.

1. BRANDS – “ Same Name But
Different Meaning ”

2. Introduction :
Owning a brand name is critical for business, but
what many people don’t realize is that owning
a trademark on your brand name is not the
same as owning a unique name.
When the two companies own similar brand
name that is called ‘Brand Twins’
It is not necessary to have a similar category
product, they can be differentiated by type,
nature, class & category.

3. Brands & Their Trademark
Trademark is a recognizable sign, design or expression
which identifies products or services of a particular source
from those of others. But there can be almost a
thousand trademarks on a similar name.
For Example : ‘DELTA’ - from airlines to kitchen wear
to power tools.
So You cannot own a word exclusively and universally,
as per international agreements,
and the complexities in minds of consumer arises .

4. Let Us See
Few Examples (They share same names)

5. • Brand Name – Domino’s
Pizza
• Company Name -
Jubilant Food Works
Limited
• Type – American
Restaurant Chain
• Brand Name – Domino
Sugar
• Company Name -
American Sugar
Refining Inc.
• Type – Sugar Products
Provider

6. • Brand Name – ‘AMUL’
• Company Name - Anand
Milk Federation Union
Limited
• Type – Dairy Milk
Products
• Brand Name – ‘AMUL
MACHO’
• Company Name – J.G.
HOSIERY Pvt. Ltd.
• Type – Men's Innerwear

7. • Brand Name – ‘APPLE’
• Company Name – Apple
Incorporation
• Company Type –
Consumer electronics,
computer software and
personal computers
• Brand Name – ‘APPLE
RECORDS’
• Company Name – Apple
Corp. Ltd.
• Type – Universal Music
Group and Records

8. • Brand Name – ‘Finlandia
Vodka’
• Company Name -
Finlandia Vodka
Worldwide Ltd.
• Origin - Finland
• Type – Vodka
Manufacturer
• Brand Name – ‘Finlandia
Cheese’
• Company Name -
Finlandia Cheese Inc.
• Origin – United States
• Type – Cheese
Manufacturer

9. • Brand Name – ‘DOVE
BEAUTY BAR’
• Company Name –
Unilever Ltd.
• Type – Beauty Soap
• Brand Name – ‘DOVE
CHOCOLATE’
• Company Name - Mars
Company
• Type – Confectionaries,
Chocolates

10. What Happens To The
Consumers Then..
• It creates the ambiguity image in the minds of
customers.
• Can affects the Brand Loyalty among customers.
• Consumers may get confused or frustrated.
• It can affect the Brand Recall as well as Brand
Recognition.

11. What Happens To The Companies Or
Brand ..
• It may affects the potential
consumer base directly or indirectly.
• Companies can face difficulties in
positioning of their products as similar
name with different category.
• Directly or indirectly reduces the
identification of any one brand.
• There will never be the win-win situation
for all the similar brand names of different
company.

12. Questions! What Comes In Our Mind ??
• Does It favourable for the company which is
already successful ?
• Don’t you think that wrong management
practice of one brand can affects the another,
just because of same name ?
• Will it be easier for the loosing company to gain
its market share again ?
• Can’t the big companies like Amul, Finlandia to
do something with the patents or copyrights?

13. THINK !
THINK !!!
THINK !

14. Sources & References
• http://merriamassociates.com/2011/12/brand-twins-same-brand-
names-for-different-products/
•http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apple_Corps_v_Apple_Computer
• http://vexillologicalchef.com/blog/tag/finlandia-vodka/ ]
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