Introduction:Recently, Hong Kong netizens were surprised to spot a coffee shop named "Maners" in a supermarket, whose appearance closely resembled that of the well-known mainland chain Manner, leading many to suspect it was a counterfeit brand. In fact, this is the legitimate branch of Manner that was forced to change its name due to obstacles in trademark registration. A deeper look into this renaming incident not only clarifies the public misunderstanding but also highlights an important issue in brand expansion overseas—strategic trademark planning.
Previously, some Hong Kong residents discovered a coffee shop with the sign "Maners" in a local mall. From its brand logo and store style to promotional activities, it was almost identical to the Chinese mainland chain Manner, including offering a "bring your own cup and get HK$5 off" promotion, which raised doubts among many people about whether it was a fake store.
Especially since the store name differs from the widely recognized "Manner" by just one letter, many netizens could hardly tell the difference at first glance, with some even directly commenting: "Is this a knockoff of Manner? The spelling is different," "Fake... Manner," "No way, they left out an 'n'," believing the move might be an attempt to ride on the fame of a well-known brand by deception.
In fact, this coffee shop that netizens called "too much like a fake" is actually Manner’s official outlet in Hong Kong. Because the name "Manner" had already been registered as a trademark by another local business in Hong Kong, Manner could not directly use its original name to enter the Hong Kong market and had to adjust its brand name to "Maners" in order to legally establish a presence there.
After discovering this store with slightly different Chinese and English signs, some netizens proactively contacted Manner’s official channels, hoping the brand would take legal action to protect its rights. Little did they know that the so-called counterfeit shop they were referring to was actually Manner itself. This misunderstanding also came as a surprise to many Manner supporters who originally spoke up to defend the brand, only to find out it was a false alarm.
According to available information, Manner had already discovered before entering Hong Kong that the "Manner" trademark had been registered by another company in the region, meaning it could not use its original brand name. To smoothly open stores, Manner had to adjust its brand identity system and ultimately chose "Maners" as the name for its Hong Kong outlets, making slight adjustments to the logo to retain a high degree of visual similarity with the original brand.
Further investigation into trademark registration records shows that the name "Maners" was officially submitted for trademark application in November 2022, but was rejected during the review in March 2023. Manner subsequently followed procedure to file for a reexamination, yet the outcome remained unsuccessful. Nevertheless, according to relevant regulations under Hong Kong trademark law, even if a trademark application is not approved, the brand can still continue using the name for operations. Therefore, the "Maners" signage in Hong Kong remains unchanged for now.
However, it is worth noting that a trademark that has not passed registration does not enjoy full legal protection. If other brands or businesses use similar names in the future, Manner may still face risks of trademark infringement and legal disputes. Therefore, to ensure the brand’s long-term stable development in the Hong Kong market, Manner may need to redesign its trademark and reapply for registration to obtain official trademark rights protection.
This renaming controversy not only led many consumers to mistake the legitimate store for a counterfeit one, but also underscores the importance of trademark strategy and intellectual property management when expanding overseas. For any coffee brand aiming to enter Hong Kong or other international markets, conducting preliminary trademark searches and registration planning will help avoid similar misunderstandings and legal risks, as well as more smoothly build trust and brand connection with local consumers.
In summary, the "Maners" in Hong Kong is not a counterfeit brand but rather a strategic adjustment made by Manner due to trademark right restrictions. This incident also serves as a reminder to all brands that in the process of global expansion, besides product and service quality, intellectual property planning is equally indispensable.
The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.
