French pay channel Canal+ has taken TF1 to court over the use of the “+” in the name of its streaming platform TF1+. Canal+ accuses TF1 of unfair competition, counterfeiting and parasitism through the use of the plus-sign associated with the historic name of the channel.
The Vivendi subsidiary also denounces an ”attack on the reputation of the + brand ” that it registered in 2009, when TF1 filed its own in 2023. According to a report in l’Informé, who broke the story, the encrypted channel is claiming 57 million euros in compensation from its rival. But the legal battle is likely to last and the decision may not be known for several months, as the media outlet points out.
It should be noted that M6 could also be dragged before the courts. For the time being, its M6+ platform – launched in May 2024 – has not yet been the subject of a summons, but it is not excluded that the encrypted channel will extend its vigilance to this competitor.
This is not the first time that Canal+ has felt wronged by the use of the “+” by another group. In 2019, the group opposed Disney+ by complaining to the National Institute of Intellectual Property (INPI), which issues trademarks, patents, models and designs in France. The Institute had stated that despite the similarity of the services offered by both parties, the “+” symbol only indicated a better quality of products and services and did not cause confusion among consumers.