Registration of a colour as a trademark means that the trademark owner has acquired a certain brand recognition among consumers.
For example, a mention of a bright pink colour to the majority of consumers will evoke associations with a Vanish laundry detergent. The brand owner company ensured that competitors would not forge the original products and registered this colour as a trademark under the certificate No.310048.
Sberbank has acquired a wished for trademark for a distinctive green colour. Trademark under certificate No. 556088 was registered by Rospatent in relation to services: savings bank services; banking. This colour is green and corresponds with Pantone 349.
MTS registered a recognizable red colour. Trademark under the certificate No.556038. Legal protection covers services for the operation of mobile radiotelephone communications and telemetric communication services.
Unlike its colleagues, Gazprom stood out by managing to obtain exclusive rights to a colour for several types of goods and services. Gazprom registered its blue corporate colour as a trademark under certificate No. 561631 with its protection wider than that of Sberbank. The trademark is registered in relation to the following goods and services: chemical industry; technical oils and lubricants; as well as services in the oil and gas sphere in relation to advertising and sales of goods, construction and transportation of goods. This colour corresponds with blue (Pantone 300CV).
It is necessary to clearly understand that the rights to the “colour” trademarks were received only in relation to specified goods and / or services. This means that other companies can still use these colours with relation to differing activities. Also, it is necessary to understand that a minor colour change, or use of another similar Pantone shade is not feasible by virtue of the rule of confusing similarity. It is noteworthy that these trademarks were registered relatively recently: in late 2015,
early 2016. It is entirely possible that soon other companies will also want to register a colour trademark in their name.