Citigroup Fails to Halt AT&T Use of ‘Thanks’

A federal judge on Thursday rejected Citigroup Inc’s bid for a preliminary injunction halting AT&T Inc from using the phrase “AT&T thanks” on a customer loyalty program, which the bank said was too similar to its trademarked “thankyou.”

U.S. District Judge Katherine Forrest in Manhattan said Citigroup had not shown it would suffer irreparable harm if AT&T continued using “AT&T thanks” while the litigation continued.

She also said AT&T provided solid evidence that forcing it to stop saying “AT&T thanks” would cause an “expensive and significant disruption.”