RioBrand's Industry Diary

• You’ve seen the movie - now eat the candy
• Labour fails to Excite
• Petrobras stalls with new name and logo

Shaping up for The Full Monty

The gloves are coming off and the sleeves are being rolled up in preparation for a fight over the trade mark ‘The Full Monty’. Harden Fine Foods Ltd, based in Yorkshire, England - coincidentally the county where the film of the same name was set - are seeking to register the mark for confectionery products but their application has encountered opposition by Twentieth Century Fox, producers of the movie.

The Harden mark is a logo which, in addition to the words ‘The Full Monty’, incorporates visual elements such as a peaked cap with a chequered band and what appears to be part of a zip fastener.

Unless the dispute is settled, it will be closely monitored by other film and television companies who are keen to see how far the Trade Marks Registry will go in recognising and upholding the rights of the producers of hit movies to challenge unlicensed manufacturers of merchandise who attempt to obtain formal rights in marks incorporating the titles.

Beer proposal goes flat

Last year the World Intellectual Property Organisation invited comments on a proposal by the US authorities that beer be re-classified in the International Classification of Goods & Services. The suggestion was that beer be moved from class 32, which comprises primarily soft drinks, to join other alcoholic beverages in class 33. Following widespread consultation it became clear that there was significant opposition to the idea and it has now been withdrawn.

Coincidentally, the Russian authorities have also been considering the status of beer, in a country where it has long been considered a soft drink and has been sold freely, even to children. The Government has been involved in discussions about whether controls on beer should be tightened, or whether consumption of the drink should be encouraged, as a less damaging alternative to the traditional tipple, vodka.

Labouring over a new mark

The UK Labour Party’s new logo, comprising a stylised letter ‘X’ made to look like a human with arms raised, has not won any votes of approval from internet company Excite who claim the mark resembles the stylised ‘X’ appearing in their name. The Daily Telegraph report suggests that the management of Excite are now demanding a meeting with Labour officials to discover the inspiration for the logo.

After its recent difficulties, such as the Peter Mandelson resignation, the Government has been keen to avoid further controversy in the run up to the election and it will be hoping the dispute can be settled quickly and amicably and not result in litigation.

Meanwhile, over at the party’s Millbank HQ its theme tune from the last election, Things Can Only Get Better, may be getting an extra spin or two to ensure morale does not flag...

Life’s not all Carnival in Rio

Those of us working in chilly northern climes tend to envy the management of Petrobras, the Brazilian state oil company, particularly at this time of year when we might fondly imagine them to exist blissfully, only a short stroll from the delights of Copacabana beach. However their life is not entirely stress-free: the company recently unveiled a new corporate name, Petrobrax, together with a smart new logo designed to aid the international expansion of its business, only to have some of the local population and politicians react negatively.

The country’s President, Fernando H Carduso, is now reported to have taken the unprecedented step of ordering the company to abandon the re-branding project. Launching a new corporate logo is a risky and controversial step and inevitably there will be those who criticise the innovation. Brand owners everywhere should sympathise with their unfortunate Brazilian colleagues...

...and finally

We finish with news of that rarest of creatures, an entirely sensible and uncontroversial new corporate name. Glynwed, manufacturer of the beloved and highly successful Aga cookers, has bowed to the inevitable and re-named itself - yes, you guessed it - Aga Foodservice. Any sensitive branding consultants who might be upset by this news of the loss of a potentially lucrative naming contract are advised to immediately book a recuperative trip to Rio.

Diary Index

Home