McDonald's Goes After Russian Trademarks to Secure Brand
McDonald's Will Not Return to Russia's Market
McDonald's has taken a proactive approach in guarding its brand image in Russia, filing multiple trademark applications with the Russian Federal Agency for Intellectual Property, Rospatent. These filings, made in December 2024, are currently under review, encompassing rights to popular food items, beverages, and services such as restaurant operations and food delivery (1, 5).
This move is a strategic measure aimed at preserving the McDonald's brand. By doing so, the company aims to keep others from abusing the McDonald's name or trademarks in the Russian market (3, 4). This practice, while common among international firms, is particularly relevant when a company such as McDonald's ceases operations in a specific country (3, 4).
Russian law states that trademarks can be canceled if not used for three consecutive years. In this case, McDonald's absence from the Russian market would have resulted in the loss of its trademarks. By renewing its trademarks, McDonald's safeguards its rights and maintains flexibility for potential future decisions, although the corporation has consistently stated its intention to remain closed in Russia (2, 4).
Crediting its corporate values and the condemnation of Russia's military actions, McDonald's made the decision to leave the Russian market in May 2022 (4). Despite renewing its trademarks, the company stresses its refusal to reenter the Russian market, reaffirming its stance on the matter (3, 4).
- Reference List:
- 1: Russia's Rospatent Website
- 2: McDonald's Corp. Annual Report 2023
- 3: Forbes article
- 4: CNBC Article
- 5: Law360 article
- McDonald's has filed multiple trademark applications with the Russian Federal Agency for Intellectual Property, Rospatent, aiming to preserve its brand and keep others from abusing its trademarks in the Russian market.
- By renewing its trademarks, McDonald's safeguards its rights and maintains flexibility for potential future decisions, although it consistently states its intention to remain closed in Russia.
- Crediting its corporate values and condemning Russia’s military actions, McDonald’s made the decision to leave the Russian market in May 2022, but despite renewing its trademarks, the company stresses its refusal to reenter the market.
- Russian law states that trademarks can be canceled if not used for three consecutive years, and without renewing its trademarks, McDonald's would have lost its rights over them, which could have impacted its business and finance in the future.
