In a rare victory for a little company versus a large corporation, a tiny bookstore in (Smyrna) Izmir, Turkey, has triumphed over fashion giant Hermès in a court struggle over the right to use the name Hermes. The bookstore is now able to maintain its identity. 

The disagreement started when the bookstore’s owner, Umit Nar, tried to register a trademark for his 15-year-old business located in Izmir. But at first, Turkey’s intellectual property watchdog supported Hermès, banning any other company from using the name save the upscale French fashion label. 

But Nar countered that Hermes is the name of a Greek god with a strong link to Izmir, once known as Smyrna, and not merely a brand name. He argued that the legendary character shouldn’t be controlled exclusively by a corporation and underlined its importance to the area’s cultural legacy. 

The Ankara court found merit in this argument and partially reversed the intellectual property authority’s ruling. Hilmi Gullu, the bookseller’s attorney, celebrated the decision as a win against big business’s “aggressive trademark registration policies.” 

There’s still a chapter to be written in spite of the victory, however. In an effort to get further information on the possibility of confusion between the two brands, the bookshop intends to appeal the ruling. Nar believes that by establishing a precedent in this case, global corporations would be prevented from stealing trademarks from cultural property. 

Even with a “godly” brand name, this little Turkish bookshop has demonstrated that a strong historical tie and a well-fought legal struggle may pave the path to triumph. This is evident even while the legal case drags on. 

- Excel V. Dyquiangco