Samsung Cancels Partnership With Counterfeit Supreme Brand

An anonymous reader writes: Back in December, Samsung took the stage at one of its Chinese product launches and announced it was partnering with "Supreme," the popular skateboard fashion brand. The announcement was made with all the usual tech launch pomp and circumstance, with the CEO of "Supreme" coming on Samsung's stage to talk about the collaboration. The only problem: this was a Supreme counterfeiter called "Supreme Italia." The announcement was met with widespread ridicule online, as "Samsung the Apple copycat" had teamed up with a Supreme copycat. Samsung initially defended the deal, but after seeing the online reaction, the company started "reconsidering" its counterfeit collaboration. Now, two months after announcing the deal, Samsung is walking away.

Re:

[saloomy]

No. Having a legal right to a name only allows you to use the name. There are many protections products have which do not require the name to violate. These are design patents, trademarks, and copyrights.

Samsung probably reached out to who they thought was the legitimate "Supreme", and negotiated a deal with the counterfeit without realizing it. Counterfeits are getting pretty good these days.

It's ok. It happens. [slashdot.org]

Re:

[Anonymous Coward]

???? Supreme Italia is a completely legitimate brand operating out of Italy. It's not the "Supreme" that most people think of but they are not a counterfeiter. They are 100% legal.

Unless people are going to say that Samsung makes "counterfeit iPhones"?

Re:

[sjames]

They must be shitting bricks by now...

Re: counterfeit?

[Anonymous Coward]

In fact, I have never heard about the 'legitimate' Supreme anywhere outside of Slashdot.

Re:

[pr0fessor]

There is no legitimate "Supreme" brand logo it was a knock off of Barbara Kruger's work.

Either they admit that they are in the wrong or admit that Supreme Italia did no wrong.

Re:

[Anonymous Coward]

I think it is safe to say that almost nobody had heard of either Supreme or Supreme Italia before any of this and that still very few people care.

Re:

[account_deleted]

Comment removed based on user account deletion

Facepalm, but an admitted facepalm...

[Anonymous Coward]

"Samsung initially defended the deal, but after seeing the online reaction, the company started "reconsidering" its counterfeit collaboration." See Huawei? If you eventually come clean the morons will just forget about it.

Try it and see.

Re:

[bill_mcgonigle]

Supreme TNT - $1500 a stick.

Addas

[havana9]

It happened in reverse for instance for beer where the czech original http://www.budejovickybudvar.cz/en/index.html was copied in the US http://www.budweiser.com/ [budweiser.com] The end result is that in EU the USA one is sold as "Bud" Brand.
I think the end result will be that the italian brand will change its name with "Sup".

Damage control

[Pimpy]

The really worrying thing is that they initially attempted to defend the partnership and it took 2 whole months and excessive public ridicule for any internal decision makers to realize that a partnership with a counterfeit brand might not be a great idea.