7-Eleven takes Nike to court over sneaker design
Convenience retailer claims upcoming Air Max imitates its signature branding and seeks to block the planned July 11 launch.
7-Eleven has filed a lawsuit against Nike in a federal court in Texas, alleging that the sportswear company’s upcoming Air Max 95 sneaker closely resembles the retailer’s long-established orange, green and red stripe branding.
According to the complaint, the shoe features a “confusingly similar imitation” of the color scheme that consumers associate with the 7-Eleven brand. The retailer also highlighted Nike’s planned July 11 release date, which coincides with “7-Eleven Day,” the company’s annual promotional event that includes free Slurpee giveaways at participating stores.
In a statement included in the legal action, 7-Eleven said it acted to protect its brand following what it described as the unauthorized use of its visual identity ahead of one of its most recognizable annual campaigns.
The retailer claims it attempted to resolve the dispute before filing suit, but alleges Nike intended to continue promoting and releasing the product as scheduled. The lawsuit argues that consumers could mistakenly believe the sneaker was sponsored, endorsed or developed in partnership with 7-Eleven, despite no such collaboration existing.
The company is seeking a court order to stop sales of the sneaker, recall any distributed products and award damages, including profits generated from the footwear. The lawsuit also cites media reports that described the shoe as being inspired by 7-Eleven.
