In 2018, the satirical magazine Der Postillon spoke of a trademark infringement and a lawsuit by Nike against the Afd. The reason, according to Der Postillon, is the similarity of the party logo to the “swoosh”.
Now this brand symbol has been used to design its own sneakers in the party colors via the sports and streetwear manufacturer’s website – including a red “Swoosh” and an AFD lettering under the Nike logo on the back. Supporters of the party, which was classified as a suspected right-wing extremist case, spread this possibility via social media and received over a million interactions.
Now the manufacturer seems to have taken action against party advertising: When entering the party abbreviation as “Personal ID”, the “By You” website points out the guidelines for personalization options when designing your own sneakers. It states that a Personal ID can be rejected if it does not meet the guidelines or the company “deems the content to be inappropriate.” In addition to trademark rights and other intellectual property rights, the guidelines also include “swearing words, inappropriate slang, offensive or discriminatory content or content that incites violence.” Nike has so far left unanswered what reason the manufacturer is using to prevent the use of the party logo.
