"Allez les Bleus": a strong brand with a new twist

If the "Go Blue! "belongs to the French Olympic Committee today, it was not always so. The slogan, which is very popular with French fans, has a strong history of changes, which it is interesting to retrace here.  

"Come on, rookies! " : an advertising deposit dating back to 1977

Surprisingly, the "Allez les Bleus" trademark made its debut at the INPI in February 1977, in the form of a deposit made by the Société d'exploitation industrielle des tabacs et des allumettes (SEITA). This company in the tobacco sector, which notably marketed Gitanes and Gauloises, uses the brand "Allez les Bleus! "brand for advertising purposes. SEITA was the main French Formula 1 sponsor at the time. But the Evin law of 1991 on the fight against smoking and alcoholism put an end to tobacco advertising. SEITA, no longer able to sponsor sporting events, abandoned the brand in 1997.  

The timely registration of the trademark "Allez les Bleus! "by a private individual

The brand was then available again, and a young man from Lyon, who was passionate about sport, decided to register it in his turn. On 2 December 1997, Mourad Bdai, then aged 20, became the owner of the slogan "Allez les Bleus! ». Perfect timingThe French team was the first to win the World Cup in 1998, and in 1998 France organised the World Cup. Mourad Bdai signed numerous licensing agreements with major retailers, allowing them to market all types of products (flags, scarves, clothing, sports bags and soft toys...) bearing the famous slogan. Even after the World Cup, partnerships continued (especially in rugby and football competitions). The holder of the brand name "Allez les Bleus! "brand was thus able to grow for several years, thanks to the many derivative products purchased by fans. However, in 2001, the case turned sour: the FFF is taking the Lyonnais to court.. The French football federation is seeking the cancellation of the "Allez les Bleus" brand.  

Attempts to officially recover the "Go Blue! »

 

2001-2006: the fight led by the FFF

In 2001, the French Football Federation brought an action for annulment of the mark before the Paris Court of First Instance. The FFF was unsuccessful and took the case to the Paris Court of Appeal. The latter again rejected the application for annulment. According to the FFF, at the time of filing in 1997, the expression "Allez les Bleus" was not commonly used. Moreover, as "les Bleus" does not necessarily refer to footballers, the FFF cannot demand a monopoly. For the judges, the mark "Allez les Bleus" was therefore distinctive and not evocative of football. In January 2006, the Court of Cassation once again definitively rejected the FFF's applications for annulment. Mourad Bdai then signed a contract worth hundreds of thousands of euros with a rugby ball distributor during the 2007 World Cup.  

2009-2014 : The CNOSF takes over the "Allez les Bleus" case

But the case doesn't end there. The French National Olympic and Sports Committee (CNOSF) is launching a new procedure in 2009. Contrary to the FFF, which only represented football, the CNOSF declared that it was acting for the "collective interests of the French sports movement". By a judgment of 19 June 2014, the Lyon Court of First Instance granted the CNOSF's request and declared the trademark "Allez les Bleus" null and void. Contrary to previous decisions, the judges considered that the expression "Allez les Bleus" had been at the heart of the official anthems of the French football team for many years. By registering the trademark a few months before the 1998 World Cup, Mourad Bdai would have acted opportunistically. For the judges, he would have wanted to deprive the various players in the sporting field "of an expression whose primary popularity would necessarily be accentuated by the organization of such an event at home". The Court therefore declares the trade mark invalid, in order to fraudulent deposit. As the Lyon native did not appeal the decision in time, "Allez les Bleus" fell back into the public domain. On 15 January 2015, the CNOSF finally records the European brand "Allez les Bleus". in all classes of goods and services. Since then, revenues from the brand have been donated to sports federations. But fans still have the right to use the slogan free of charge to cheer on their teams! To secure your trademark registration, our team of professionals is at your disposal.