Are Redbull Being A Bit Precious Here?

[ToraToraTora]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-norfolk-23697138
I don't see how they can block all that sounds like RedBull, redwell?? I don't see how they can stop that. What about BedRule could they stop that?

[andy-hughes]

A letter from the 'brand enforcement manager' - now there's a sinister job title if ever I heard one!

[andy-hughes]

It doesn't seem to have impeeded Pepsi Cola and Coca Cola sharing the same second name does it?

[EDDIE51]

If this went to court I am almost certain it would be thrown out but Red Bull are banking on the micro brewery with just 8 employees not being able to afford to take it to court.
andy-hughes, Pepsi and Coke are brands of 'Cola' as Red Bull is an 'energy drink
it is no more sharing a name than 2 brands of loaf both being called 'bread'.

[youngmafbog]

Looks like corporate bullying by a company with its head jammed firmmly up its backside.

What a load of tosh, RedBull should compensate the brewery for being complete t*ssers.

[EDDIE51]

If I was the brewery I would tell Red Bull ''sue us if you want to'' I can't see a court allowing the case to stand.

[doctordb]

I would happily drink Redwell.

Red bull I would use to clean the toilet.

[andy-hughes]

Thanks for clarifying Eddie - I didn't appreciate that valid point.

I agree entirely with youngmafbog (That's twice in ten minutes!!!) that this is corporate bullying of the worst kind.

A similar instance happened locally when a beauty salon was made to change its trading name because a London emporium had the same name - I doubt that the clientele of either would wish (or be able to afford in the case of the London venue!) to visit the other, but they had their way.

[boxtops]

That's bully-boy tactics, nothing like it. Are they going to damn Watney's Red Barrel next?

[FredPuli43]

!t's a "let them know we're here" action. Big companies like us to know how jealously they guard their rights. Mostly this comes to nothing and never gets to court, but that's not the point; it may not be winnable, of course. It gets big publicity and it warns those, who have more serious and important intent, not to try.

[EDDIE51]

Watneys Red barrel Boxtops? you are about 25 years out of date.
Red Barrel was withdrawn when the Watneys brewery social club refused to have it behind their bar even though Watney were going to give it to them free!

[Old_Geezer]

Used to have a red barrel key ring. Not sure what happened to it.
I tried saying, "the same again", but got no more.

[Octavius]

I just see this as publicity for both brands. It will come to nothing, Redbull will come out looking like the bad boy corporate giant whilst still making millions (honestly how do they afford all that sponsorship??) and the 'previously unheard of' microbrewery will get some free promo. Jobs a goodun.

[andy-hughes]

Next it will be Trophy Bitter - 'the pint that thinks its a quart!' as the ad used to say.

What they ommitterd to tell you was that the stuff was so gassy that it expanded to four times its volume in your stomach, so no wonder it felt like a 'quart' - and equally no wonder it's not made any more!!!

[Old_Geezer]

Surely one isn't going to confuse a caffeinated can of fizz with a decent beer ? (I'm assuming the brewery does make quality stuff of course, if it's just dodgy fizz too, then I can understand the concern.)

[FredPuli43]

It's run on a broad understanding of "passing off". If one brand may be confused with the other, or mistakenly be associated with, or get the benefits of the image of it, the action may get home.

This has amusing consequences sometimes. When Mr Borwick junior, started a baking powder business under his name, he was sued by his father. Borwick's baking powder was a famous brand, owned by Borwick senior. The son's defence was that he was only use his own name. The court was not impressed, particularly when it discovered that the packaging was the same colour. Mr Albert Hall, a bandleader, called his band 'The Albert Hall Orchestra' He was stopped by the trustees of the Royal Albert Hall.

And some are just odd. The World Wrestling Federation, the WWF, won a case against the World Wildlife Fund, the WWF, although the connection between pandas or wild beasts on the verge of extinction and wrestlers was not clear. Although, on second thoughts....

[cassa333]

I'd change it to REDWings Beer that gives you a lift :)

[aelmpvw]

pr disaster from someone at redbull ... no one likes to see the big boy kicking the little boy

[Spoonboy]

Redwell sounds nothing like, or similar to, Red Bull whatsoever.
But, then, as in F1 some of its people are not team players.

[zebo]

They ought to seek a tie-up with Lotus, though what their connection is with Norfolk these days I don't know, it all got very confused
Use Redbull as a toilet cleaner? Far too good a job for it.
Always wondered about Harrods of Hingham an how they get away with it.