InsideRE’s use of the word “bold” and the color purple in the rebrand of the product formerly known as kvCORE makes its logo “distinctly similar” to KW’s BOLD product, the company said.
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Keller Williams Realty Inc. alleged in court that InsideRE’s new BoldTrail brand, which replaced kvCORE, infringes on KW’s BOLD Marks and allows the company to unfairly profit from KW’s established brand.
The case was filed on Jan. 15, 2025, in the US District Court for the Western District of Texas, Austin Division.
InsideRE informed Inman in June 2024 that it has rebranded its kvCORE business software to BoldTrail, a brand name that will serve the company’s suite of applications, including software that supports CRMs, digital marketing and presentations, lead generation, transaction management and more. .
The move came after InsideRE acquired several companies in recent years — including BoomTown in early 2023 — and faced marketing challenges as a result. The name was inspired in part by InsideRE’s belief that “real estate is not for the faint of heart, and that it wants to be a strong partner in tough times,” Inman tech columnist Craig C. Rowe wrote at the time.
In addition to using the word “bold” in its name, the InsideRE brand also features purple in some iterations, a color used extensively by KW in its BOLD Marks brand. Such similarities make the marketing of InsideRE’s brand “discerningly similar” to KW’s marketing of a very similar product, the real estate franchise said.
A spokesperson for Keller Williams told Inman that the lawsuit was filed “to stop Inside Real Estate’s improper use of our BOLD trademark.”
“Since 2009, KWRI BOLD and BOLD LEADERSHIP have been unique and recognized industry leaders in providing real estate consulting services, as well as professional real estate education and development services. Real Estate has since copied these industry-leading offerings with the redesign of similar offerings, namely Bold Academy and Bold Trail, in 2024. This willful trademark infringement has confused the market, and is a clear attempt to profit from the success and goodwill of the KW brand.”
InsideRE did not immediately respond to Inman’s request for comment.
The lawsuit notes that KW has used its BOLD brands since early 2009 to provide real estate consulting, professional education and real estate professional development services.
“As a result of KWRI’s extensive advertising, sound business practices, and operations, KWRI has established strong relationships with those who have come to recognize and respect the services provided by KWRI and the services associated with the KWRI BOLD Marks,” the lawsuit states.
“Defendant’s decision to rename this competing product to BoldTrail, a trademark confusingly similar to KWRI’s BOLD Marks, appears to be intended to benefit KWRI’s success and goodwill in the marketplace,” it added.
KW’s attorney sent InsideRE a cease-and-desist letter on Nov. 5, 2024, the lawsuit says, which was answered by a lawyer for InsideRE.
However, after that exchange, InsideRE’s CEO, Joe Skousen, emailed KW founder Gary Keller to arrange a discussion about the sale, according to the lawsuit.
“KWRI has repeatedly responded to Mr. Skousen to arrange a meeting but has not received a response,” the lawsuit said. “At that time, as noted above, the Defendant presented other offers – apparently using the delay in resolving the matter as a ploy to continue to increase its infringing activities, despite the fact that the Defendant had notice of the infringement for months.”
KW requested an injunction against InsideRE for “continued use of the KWRI BOLD Marks” and monetary relief in an amount to be determined at trial, as well as court costs, attorney’s fees and other related costs.
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