ExxonMobil sues FX over FXX ‘interlocking X’ logo

Oil giant ExxonMobil is suing FX’s new cable spin-off FXX over the ‘interlocking X’ part of the logo, claiming that people may link the two companies.

On Tuesday, ExxonMobil filed a the lawsuit in U.S. District Court in Houston, reports Variety. The company is trying to get 21st Century Fox to stop using the FXX logo with the interlocking X design and damages the logo causes by confusing the public. Exxon says that they had asked Fox to stop using the logo, but they would not.

The logo “is likely to cause confusion, to cause mistake, or to deceive customers and potential customers of the parties … as to some affiliation, connection, or association of Defendants' business with ExxonMobil,” the complaint reads, The Hollywood Reporter notes.

In the complaint, Exxon’s lawyers actually cited comments from around the web in which people talk about the similarities of the two logos. Exxon doesn’t want people to think that it has any relation with the network, which is now home to FX’s The League and It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia.

In a statement to Variety, Exxon added, the “public associates the interlocking Xs with ‘Exxon’ and ‘ExxonMobil,’ and they represent a valuable part of our branding. ExxonMobil has protected its interlocking-X designs with numerous trademark registrations, and has been using its interlocking Xs both alone and as part of ExxonMobil’s distinctive family of ‘Exxon’ and ‘ExxonMobil’ marks for decades.”

Fox responded with a statement to Bloomberg, calling the complaint “meritless,” adding that it is “unfathomable” that anyone would confuse FXX with Exxon.

“We are confident that viewers won’t tune into FXX looking for gas or motor oil and drivers won’t pull up to an Exxon pump station expecting to get It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia,” the spokesperson said.

image: Fox

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