A small Norwich based gin making business, founded in 1837, has become the target of energy drink super giant, Red Bull, over the use of the word ‘Bull’ in its name.
Bullards have been told that there was a “likelihood of confusion on behalf of the public” as both brand names “include the term bull”.
The BBC reports: Red Bull are opposing their trademark application with the UK Intellectual Property Office, following Bullards brand revival to focus on the lucrative handcrafted gin market. Bullards started out brewing beer and importing wine and spirits, before it was taken over by national brewery Watneys in 1963.
Red Bull’s legal letter states that they’re “prepared to resolve this dispute” if Bullards deleted a series of goods and services from its trademark application and registration, including energy drinks, events, and non-alcoholic beverages.
It also went on to say “Our client recognises that your client’s brand stems from a historical family business and so it has asked us to highlight that it does not want to prevent your client from doing anything it has historically done,”.
Bullards have said the claim is “ludicrous” and that “There is no confusion whatsoever and actually if we did concede we would be admitting there was.”
“But they’re saying we can’t do events, we can’t do soft drinks, which we are going to do because we’re going to do tonics, we can’t do energy drinks – not that we would ever want to do energy drinks,” he said.
He added it would cost “thousands of pounds” to remove the goods and services listed in the letter and accused Red Bull of “trying to bully us”.
“If needs be we’ll go to court and let’s see what a court of law has to say on it,” he said.
Photo – Bullards Instagram
