Beyoncé won a legal battle in Turkey against third parties who had without authorization registered her name as a commercial trademark. Out of four separate cancellation lawsuits reaching the Turkish Court of Cassation (Yargıtay), three rulings favored the pop superstar, while the fourth defendant voluntarily surrendered his trademark registration during the proceedings.
Turkish individuals had registered “Beyoncé” as a formal brand name with the Turkish Patent and Trademark Office.
Beyoncé’s legal team filed trademark cancellation and unfair competition lawsuits.
One defendant argued that “Beyoncé” is merely a first name and did not specifically refer to the American singer, a defense that both local courts and the Supreme Court rejected.
The courts ruled that utilizing a globally recognized celebrity name without permission creates unfair competition and violates commercial protections.
