Pico Technology is having trouble landing in Chile.

Pico Technology is having trouble establishing a presence in Chile after being denied registration of its trademark for design and logo protection by the country's National Institute of Industrial Property (INAPI).

Why has INAPI acted in this way toward the Chinese brand?

INAPI has identified the brand and its logo as a "vulgar derivation of the name for male genitalia."

This response, unexpected by the brand, has sparked a controversy that remains unresolved to this day.

Let's see how this altercation developed below.

What does Pico Technology do?

Pico Technology was founded in March 2015 to develop virtual reality (VR) technologies owned by Chinese TikTok developer ByteDance.

In Chile, the brand already has a significant presence with its virtual reality headsets, such as the Pico Neo 3 and the more popular Pico 4 VR . It also has a presence in the Pico 4 Pro and Pico 4 Enterprise . The brand's presence in the country means greater security in offering services and maintenance to its users, as well as support for its business partners and improving technology in businesses and the education sector.

So, if it's a technology brand, why has it been linked to a vulgar derivation of the name for male genitalia?

The influence of culture and idiosyncrasy on branding matters

The word "pico" has 18 different uses in the Spanish language, according to the RAE itself, and it is precisely the meaning of line number 18 that indicates this word as a word of vulgar use in Chile and Bolivia, being a synonym of "penis" as established by the RAE.

In other words, although INAPI's relationship seems reasonable, everything is outside the technological context.

In response to this unexpected response from the brand, its legal representatives have responded as follows:

“Effective use shows us that the expression is not used in its vulgar sense. Furthermore, the fact that it is a foreign company allows us to conclude that they were not even aware of this meaning. Nor was it considered that the name corresponds to the principal segment of my client's corporate name and trade name, which, pursuant to Article 8 of the Paris Convention, duly ratified by Chile, should be protected .

That said, Chilean social media has been filled with comments about the situation, along with the never-ending jokes. Several brands that use the word "Pico" have recently appeared in various newspapers and blogs, taking advantage of the advertising wave that has emerged.

At GSMPRO.CL, we'll be closely monitoring this news and the final decision, and we'll keep you updated through our blog.