No stepping on engineers

Engineers Canada has successfully opposed an application by a shoe manufacturer to use the trade mark “gender engineering” in Canada.

In its April 11 newsletter, Engineers Canada said it received the decision from the Trade-Marks Opposition Board on May 28. “In a fairly concise decision, the Hearing Officer found the trade-mark to be deceptively misdescriptive of the character or quality of the wares and/or of the persons employed in the production of the wares,” wrote Engineers Canada.

Mizuno Corporation, manufacturers of specialist sportswear, had applied for the trade-mark to use with its shoes. The company claimed that they employed engineers to work on the footwear, but since it had no employees registered with professional engineering associations in Canada “the message was deemed deceptively misdescriptive.”

Mizuno has the right to appeal the decision until May 26.