TEN Forced Into Embarrassing Branding Backdown After Trademark Blunder

The 10 network has made an embarrassing capitulation, dumping the name of its multichannel 10 Boss just weeks after launch due to a trademark dispute with Nine/Fairfax.

From today, the channel originally branded as ONE, will now be called 10 BOLD, the change coming after 10 seemingly failed to realise Fairfax Media already held a trademark for the name Boss in categories including Media and Broadcast.

Fairfax Media, which has now officially merged with the Nine Network, has been using the name since 1999 for its Australian Financial Review Boss magazine.

As originally revealed exclusively by this website, Nine/Fairfax took 10 to court seeking “injunctive relief restraining 10 from using the 10 Boss logo on its platforms including Television, Websites and Social Media.”

Fairfax Media first lodged opposition to the new branding in August, but 10 made the decision to proceed with the relaunch in late October believing the two brands could co-exist. 10 was then forced to release an updated version of the logo just 3 days later.

10 vowed to “fiercely defend” the matter during an initial court appearance, network lawyers declaring the brands were “not at all in the same frame of discourse”, however just three weeks later the company has given up the fight, changing the channel name to 10 BOLD.

10’s publicity team is now desperately trying to put a positive spin on the backdown, releasing a bizarre statement to journalists which included the line;

“Anyone that knows 10, knows we’re no Grinch. So in the spirit of giving and as an early Christmas present to our friends at Nine, we’re flicking the switch to 10 Bold. That’s right, from tonight 10 Boss will become 10 Bold. We think it’s better to be bold than bossy.”

Nine also released a statement which included a lot less humour, and a threat the legal battle is not over yet;

“We welcome the decision of 10 to rebrand their channel from 10 Boss in recognition of the heritage and value of AFR’s Boss magazine. However, the matter remains before the court.”

One can only imagine what 10’s new US owners CBS think of this latest management incompetence.