Finance company ordered to restrain from passing off as Housing Authority
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A finance company was ordered by the High Court to refrain from passing off its business as that of the Hong Kong Housing Authority (HA).
"In carrying out the functions and responsibilities of the HA, the logo of the HA was designed and has been used since early 1970's. Through substantial use and advertising of the HA's logo (attached) in Hong Kong for years, the public has associated it exclusively with the HA," a spokesman for the HA said today (February 20).
However, a finance company offering to provide re-mortgaging and financing services had earlier before put on its own pamphlets, advertisements on minibuses, letterhead, promotional materials and website an infringing logo which was confusingly and deceptively similar to the HA's logo.
"To avoid misunderstanding, apart from making it clear to the public immediately that the finance company had absolutely no connection with the HA, the HA also spared no time to commence civil action in the High Court against it and its sole director with a view to protecting the HA's goodwill and preventing the interest of the public from being hampered by unauthorised infringing acts and deceptive representation made in relation to the HA's logo," the spokesman said.
The High Court granted judgment inclusive of a permanent injunction order on February 8 in favour of the HA and the permanent injunction order was duly served on the defendants today.
Ends/Monday, February 20, 2017
Issued at HKT 17:10
Issued at HKT 17:10
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