SANTA CLARITA FIRM SUED COLGATE-PALMOLIVE CLAIMS PRODUCT NAMES TOO CLOSE TO OWN.

Byline: Brent Hopkins Staff Writer

SANTA CLARITA - Personal products maker Blue Cross Laboratories found itself in hot water Thursday as Colgate-Palmolive Co. accused it of infringing on its trademarked brands and packaging.

The names and look of Blue Cross' brands are too close to those of the New York-based company's, Colgate claims in a suit filed in federal court in Manhattan.

Colgate makes Afta after-shave and sells it in a blue-gray bottle with a black top. Blue Cross makes After after-shave and sells it in a blue-gray bottle with a black top. Colgate makes Speed Stick deodorant. Blue Cross makes Rapid Stick deodorant.

``A lot of the things they've done for packaging are eerily similar to what Colgate's done,'' said Joe Altobello, an analyst who follows Colgate for the New York-based brokerage CIBC World Markets. ``A lot of Colgate's brands like Afta and Speed Stick are well-known already, where people know the appearance and the brand name.''

Colgate executives were unavailable for comment Thursday and Blue Cross had no prepared response to the suit, which also contends the Smoothsoap and Palm Soap brands infringe on Colgate trademarks.

``We have not been served with anything yet,'' said Debbie Smith, a receptionist at the firm's Santa Clarita office. ``We haven't received anything, and until we do, we have nothing to say.''

Colgate didn't specify how Blue Cross' products had cut into sales, but industry experts said the practice of low-cost knockoffs trying to chip away at industry leaders was fairly common. With more than 100 years in the business, Colgate has spent considerable time honing its brand names, and analysts believe it will defend them fiercely.

``Companies have spent a lot of time, money and effort promoting and protecting their brand over the years, and they'll go to great lengths to protect it,'' said Brian Sansoni, vice president of communication and membership for the Soap and Detergent Association. ``Certainly, that's their livelihood. Their name's on the package, and that's very important to them, whether it's detergents or ketchup.''

Some other Blue Cross products resemble those of other manufacturers. For example, Blue Cross markets a nautical-themed after-shave called Regatta. Proctor Gamble has Old Spice. Both bottles have similar shapes, colors and feature sailing ships.

``You've got one thing called Softsoap, then these other guys (Blue Cross) are calling it Smoothsoap,'' said Tom Branna, editor of HAPPI Magazine, which follows the home and personal products industry. ``That's pretty close. There is no standard in the industry for what's OK, but obviously Colgate got mad and has the money to take it to court.''

Brent Hopkins,[phone]

brent.hopkins(at)dailynews.com