According to The Times, The Shropshire Gin Company lodged a formal objection to the trademark request through its owner Jeffrey Lawrence, who said that the name was too similar to his own business’ Tiger Gin.
The UK Intellectual Property Office (UKIPO) ruled in favour of Mr Lawrence, and thus the trademark has not been registered.
Mr Lawrence, 54, said of the ruling:
“I appreciate that the UKIPO decision was in my favour. The trademark for Tiger Gin was hard won and is strongly defended.”
He had previously won a trademark dispute with Heineken – the producers of Tiger beer – when Tiger Gin was registered as a trademark.
In a written ruling on BrewDog’s trademark request, the trademark hearing officer of the intellectual property office said:
“I have found all of the applicant’s goods to be identical with the opponent’s goods. I have found the marks to be visually, aurally and conceptually similar to a medium degree.
“The following factors lead me to conclude that there will be indirect confusion between the marks: the fact that the goods are identical; the goods will be purchased with no more than a medium level of attention; the earlier mark is inherently distinctive to at least a medium degree.
Read more at https://www.thedrinksbusiness.com/2021/07/brewdog-loses-legal-battle-over-tiger-gin-brand/
