Apple Files Suit Claiming Swatch Copied ‘Tick Different’ Slogan From ‘Think Different’ Campaign

Apple has filed a lawsuit against Swiss watchmaker Swatch saying that the latter copied its 1990s “Think Different” ad campaign. Apparently, Swatch has emblazoned “Tick different” on its new watch model. For the Cupertino giant, Swatch used the very words to capitalize on its successful marketing campaign.

According to Apple Insider, the complaint that Apple filed last week is being adjudicated by the Swiss Federal Administrative Court. Zurich law firm Lenz & Staehelin is representing Apple in the case. In order for the lawyers to prove their point, they need to demonstrate that at least 50 percent of general consumers associate “Think Different” with Tim Cook’s company.

Swatch CEO Nick Hayek has since argued that the watchmaker’s “Tick different” campaign came from the company’s ’80s “Always different, always new” campaign phrase. Hayek maintained that the similarity between “Think Different” and “Tick different” is purely coincidental.

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While Swatch is currently using its “Tick different” slogan on its Bellamy quartz wristwatch, it was found out that the Swiss company was granted a U.S. trademark for the phrase two years ago. Swatch also has the same trademark in Switzerland.

Apple originally used its “Think Different” campaign in 1997. The phrase was coined by Apple advertising agency TBWA/Chiat/Day. MacRumors reports that the phrase was believed to be the Cupertino giant’s response to IBM’s “Think” slogan at the time. In 2002, the marketing campaign disappeared from Apple’s products.

This isn’t the first time that Swatch and Apple are fighting over slogans. In 2015, the Swiss company was awarded a trademark for “one more thing” — a phrase that many Apple fans could associate to the late Steve Jobs’ preface for surprise announcements during keynote events. At the time, Swatch argued that the catchphrase for its collection of film noir watches was taken from the TV show “Columbo.”