Case Comments: The Laughter Dies Down – The Black Label Case on Appeal

• Jurisdiction: South Africa
• Published date: 16 August 2019
• Citation: (2005) 17 SA Merc LJ 88
• Author: Wim Alberts
• Date: 16 August 2019
• Pages: 88-94

88 (2005) 17 SA Merc LJ

The Laughter Dies Down – The Black Label

Case on Appeal

WIM ALBERTS

Attorney, Johannesburg

1 Introduction

The provisions of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, Act

108 of 1996, do not create open season on well-known trade marks. This is

the effect of the judgment of the Supreme Court of Appeal in Laugh It Off

Promotions CC v South African Breweries International (Finance) BV t/a

Sabmark International (SCA, case no 242/2003, 16 Sept 2004, unreported).

The facts of the matter are simple. The appellant (‘LIO’) sold T-shirts

featuring disparaging comments of a racial nature, with reference to the

respondent’s (‘SAB’s’) well-known Black Label trade mark. The Court a quo

(see SAB International t/a Sabmark International v Laugh It Off Promotions

[2003] 2 All SA 454 (C)) made an order against LIO on the basis of trade-

mark infringement, more particularly s 34(1)(c) of the Trade Marks Act 194

(2005) 17 SA Merc LJ 88

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