Skype for potential rebrand

skype.com

By John-Patrick Gerard Thackeray

Microsoft may have to rebrand its Skype video chat program after a European court ruled that the name is too similar to that of British broadcaster Sky.

Microsoft says it intends to appeal.

This is not the first time Sky has fought Microsoft over branding. Last year, Microsoft had to change the name of its cloud service, SkyDrive, after the High Court in London said the brand infringed Sky’s trademark and that customers could confuse the product. Microsoft rebranded the service OneDrive.

But Sky does not want Microsoft to change the name of Skype, it wants to block registration of the name and logo in Europe. A Microsoft spokesperson told BBC News: “The case was not a legal challenge to Skype’s use of the mark, it was only against the registration.”

Instead of seeking branding changes, Sky could now chase royalties from Microsoft over the use of the Skype brand in Europe. “Our intention has been to protect the Sky brand, with our research showing that similarities in name and logo have the potential to confuse customers,” a Sky spokesperson was quoted as saying after the court ruling.