MindChamps wins trademark infringement case in China against ‘copycat’ pre-school

SINGAPORE - Local pre-school chain MindChamps has won a trademark infringement case in China over a “copycat” school in Xi’an, the capital city of Shaanxi province.

The infringement was uncovered in January 2021 when a former Chinese teacher from MindChamps, who had returned to China because of the Covid-19 pandemic, contacted its human resources department about applying for a role at the Xi’an school.

MindChamps PreSchool said in a press release on Monday that further investigation revealed that the “counterfeit school” had illegally replicated its trademark-protected corporate identity, including the logo, student uniforms and interior decoration designs.

MindChamps took two defendants to court.

It said the Chinese court said in its judgment on June 28, 2023, that the defendants’ use of “MindChamps” and “Maijiesi”, its name in Chinese, was likely to cause confusion and thus constituted trademark infringement and unfair competition.

The court ordered the two defendants to stop using the MindChamps logo and word mark in English immediately, and the Chinese word mark within 10 days from June 28, 2023, said MindChamps.

They were also ordered to pay 120,000 yuan (S$22,100) to MindChamps and to publish a clarification on messaging platform WeChat for seven consecutive days.

MindChamps chief executive officer and executive chairman David Chiem said: “Winning this case reinforces the strength of our MindChamps brand, which has been built over 25 years with breakthrough research and curriculum development behind it.”

In 2014, MindChamps won a case against a company that was registered as MindChamps Montessori Incorporated in the Philippines.

Its global presence includes pre-schools and enrichment centres in Australia, the Philippines, Myanmar, Malaysia and Indonesia.

The Straits Times has contacted MindChamps for more information.