Matrimony.com Faces Setback in Trademark Dispute Over Jodii Brand
Matrimony.com has been restrained by the Madras High Court from using its Jodii brand, ruling it deceptively similar to Free Elective Network's registered Jodi365 trademark. The decision overturns a previous ruling.
Indian matchmaking platform Matrimony.com has suffered a setback in a trademark dispute concerning its brand 'Jodii'. A division bench of the Madras High Court has prohibited Matrimony.com from using 'Jodii' or any mark deceptively similar to Free Elective Network's registered trademark 'Jodi365'. This order, dated August 11, overturns a July 2022 single-judge ruling that had dismissed Free Elective's suit.
The court has also directed Matrimony.com to surrender all materials bearing the 'Jodii' mark for destruction, including advertisements and online content. However, Free Elective's demand for ₹1 crore (approximately $120,000 USD) in damages was rejected, as the court found insufficient evidence to establish the extent of the financial loss.
The dispute began when Free Elective, which has operated its 'Jodi365' platform since 2009 and holds a registration for the mark since 2010, sent a cease-and-desist notice to Matrimony.com. Free Elective alleged that the 'Jodii' app, launched by Matrimony.com in October 2021, was confusingly similar to their own brand, given the similar services offered.
Matrimony.com had argued that 'Jodi', meaning 'pair' in Hindi, is a descriptive term for matchmaking services and cannot be monopolized. They also pointed to other platforms using similar names. However, the division bench disagreed, finding 'Jodi' to be the distinctive and essential feature of Free Elective's mark. The court emphasized phonetic similarity and potential consumer confusion, noting that Matrimony.com had not challenged the validity of Free Elective's trademark registration. Matrimony.com is reportedly considering an appeal to the Supreme Court of India.