Get this: the parent of Mercedes-Benz, Daimler, filed a trademark for the term “Arcadia” on May 2nd, 2019. If the name sounds familiar, that’s because it is one letter (the “R”) away from Acadia, the name of GMC’s mid-size, three-row crossover.
The similarities between the two names could sow a good deal of confusion among the public, some of whom already accidentally refer to the GMC Acadia as the Arcadia, for whatever reason.
We currently don’t know what plans Daimler has for the Arcadia name in the U.S., but the organizational means by which the trademark application was filed gives us some clues: Daimler filed the trademark under its Daimler Trucks North America division, which indicates that it could be planning to use the name for a future heavy truck under the Mercedes-Benz or Freightliner brands, both of which Daimler owns.
Things get even more interesting on the legal front: Daimler filed for its trademark in the goods and services category of “Heavy Duty trucks” while General Motors holds rights to the Acadia trademark in the “Motor land vehicles” category. That could give Daimler some defense if GM were to challenge the application, since shoppers are likely not likely to confuse a midsize crossover (a consumer good) with a full-size heavy truck (typically a commercial product).
But despite the different goods and services categories, the similarities between both names could give General Motors enough credibility to dispute Daimler’s trademark filing, given that similar names could ultimately confuse consumers. The real question now is whether it will do so.
We should also note Daimler simply filed an application to secure rights to the Arcadia term, and that the application has yet to be approved or even looked at by the USPTO – a process that can take months or, at times, years.
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Comments
General Motors should do what Donald Trump would do in such a situation.. file a lawsuit for damages then offer to allow Mercedes to use Arcadia for $250 Million.
General Motors should do whatever Russia wants. Another thing Donald Trump would do.
I’d like to know exactly what Daimlerr-Benz has in mind for the name before continuing with legal action.
I’d also like to predict their counter-arguments; like how the Lincoln LS and the Lexus LS managed to co-exist in the same market following an agreement between Ford and Toyota. This isn’t like some unknown Chinese automaker selling the under the name Chery is contrast to Chevy, so there maybe some backroom negation to play out.
Arcadia is also a place in Cali as well so…….
Setting aside the question of whether it will confuse consumers, it disappoints me that Daimler didn’t choose to come up with a unique name that isn’t similar to something already out there.
Arcadia is a Greek reference to ‘paradise’. (Not very truck-y, but ancient. And an area of Phoenix).
Acadia was an early district in Quebec (where the Cajuns came from).
So, I’d guess MB has a decent case, other than why ‘Arcadia’ is a good name for a truck.
Now we know why Benz has stuck to numbers for so many years. Just no imagination.
Numeric names are better. Maybe they will be using this for some cargo vans aka Sprinter
It sounds like an SUV for the Arcade.
There are better named Mercedes to consider.
Like the Equinoax. The Terraine. The Traxx. All very good cars.
maybe it’s a poke in the eye for the Buick Cascada. Freightliner has been selling the Cascadia as it’s top of the line class 8 truck since 2006 which is about 7 years before the Cascada.
I’ve heard many people call it the GMC Arcadia anyway, to the point I’ve quit correcting them LOL
Sounds like an Acadia with video games inside.
Arcadia is a nice little town in Nebraska, where I watched the solar eclipse.
Numeric names are better. Maybe they will be using this for some cargo vans aka Sprinter