On 13^th of January 2009 the Finnish newspaper, Helsingin Sanomat, reported on another dispute related to the department store, Stockmann, and particularly, its trade mark HULLUT PÄIVÄT (translation: ‘crazy days’). The trade mark is used as a name of the department store’s bargain sale that takes place twice a year. The last dispute in relation to the mark was concluded in 2005.

According to the newspaper, a small clothing boutique, Crazy, located just a few blocks away from the famous department store, is using an identical mark for their bargain sale. Things are not that clear-cut however, as according to the owner of the boutique, she has been using the trade mark since 1974, whereas Stockmann’s use did not begin until 1986. She claims to have derived the name ‘Crazy days’ for the bargain sale from the name of the boutique, but taking into account the fact that the English language skills were yet to penetrate the Finnish society of the seventies, she decided to use the Finnish translation of instead.

In any case, we might not get to write a case summary on this one. Stockmann has stated that, instead of litigating, it is seeking an amicable settlement of the matter. (The earlier case concluded in 2005 did, however, involve litigation.)