Minus a single letter doesn’t make a new brand. Singer and businesswoman Rihanna has won a lengthy lawsuit in Turkey against a local company that decided to cash in on the similarity of the names and registered the “RIANNA” trademark.

Turkey’s Court of Cassation has put the final end to this high-profile case by dismissing the defendant’s appeal and declaring the registration of the “RIANNA” brand invalid.

What Was the Conflict About?

The story began when a Turkish entrepreneur registered a trademark that differed from the world-renowned artist’s name by only the absence of a single letter “H”.

When the singer’s lawyers went to court, the defendant attempted to defend themselves with a novel argument: namely, that “Rianna” is an ancient Arabic word meaning “fragrance” or “basil,” having no connection to the American pop star.

However, the judges viewed the situation through the eyes of an average consumer. Even with a one-letter difference, the name sounds and looks nearly identical to the famous “RIHANNA” brand.

Why Is This Decision Important?

This is a case where the legal precedent is interesting not only to the singer’s fans, but to anyone following the business world:

• Turkish courts confirmed that tricks with minor typos or changing a single letter will not help evade liability if a brand attempts to free-ride on someone else’s fame.

• Rihanna’s lawyers did not merely block a new application, but achieved the complete cancellation of an already registered trademark.

• The court took into account the singer’s global status and the international popularity of her goods (ranging from cosmetics to lingerie), noting that the appearance of a clone brand misleads consumers and creates an unfair advantage for the defendant.

For global stars, this is a major victory: it proves that even in countries where a brand was not registered initially, protecting one’s name from copying is entirely feasible.

Founder of Research & Patent group Intectica, author of patent algorithms for solving problems in the pharmaceutical industry, patent attorney certified in all intellectual property objects (Patents, Design, TM), with education in chemistry and law, chief expert of the patent institution of Ukraine UKRPATENT (1997-2004). Member of international organizations, including ECTA, PTMG, UAM, lecturer and blogger.