IHG has filed a petition to cancel Marriott International’s trademark for City Express by Marriott, citing concerns that the name is too similar to IHG’s Holiday Inn Express brand. IHG’s biggest brand, Holiday Inn Express, has a large presence in the U.S. with over 3,000 hotels open and a pipeline of 632 hotels. IHG sees the word “Express” in the City Express brand as potentially confusing for consumers.
Marriott acquired the City Express brand in Mexico in May 2023 and rebranded it as City Express by Marriott in November of the same year. IHG has been seeking extensions to oppose Marriott’s use of the City Express by Marriott trademark and finally filed its opposition on May 13. Marriott responded by filing for a new trademark named “Project Mid-T by Marriott,” which has a similar branding style to City Express by Marriott.
On June 3, Marriott announced a new midscale conversion brand for North America at a hospitality industry conference, temporarily named “Project Mid-T.” This branding closely resembles the City Express by Marriott branding, leading to further concerns from IHG. Marriott has until the end of June to respond to IHG’s allegations, after which the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board will set a trial calendar to address the dispute between the two hotel giants.
In addition to the trademark dispute over City Express by Marriott, IHG has not opposed Marriott’s trademark application for Four Points Express by Sheraton, a midscale brand introduced by Marriott in Europe and the Middle East. The brand’s use of the word “express” seems to have not raised the same concerns for IHG as the City Express by Marriott trademark did.
Overall, IHG’s opposition to Marriott’s trademark for City Express by Marriott highlights the competitive nature of the hotel industry and the importance of brand recognition and differentiation. The outcome of this trademark dispute will shape the branding strategies of both IHG and Marriott in the midscale hotel segment, impacting their ability to attract and retain customers in a highly competitive market.
