Thanks to Geoff Griggs for just updating me on the latest in the Monteith’s trademark saga.

DB Breweries has cancelled the registration of its saison trademark, but not radler. The full media release is below, but it comes down to ‘we’re not using saison so will relinquish it, but we’re using radler and so we won’t relinquish that’.

Interestingly, even in their own media release they refer to it as ‘Monteith’s Radler’ rather than just Radler, the former being the brand name they should have registered – as it is a brand name, radler is a style. If the term ‘radler’ was so distinctive to Monteith’s that it needs to be trademarked to protect their investment, you might have thought they wouldn’t need the qualifier.

Still, congratulations to DB Breweries for taking this step. Hopefully they will relinquish the radler trademark too before it gets too hot to really enjoy the Monteith’s Winter Ale that’s sitting impatiently in my cellar since the boycott.
Media Statement

September 2009

DB CANCELS SAISON TRADEMARK

DB Breweries is in the process of cancelling the registration of its Saison trademark with the Intellectual Property Office of New Zealand (IPONZ). The company has held the trademark since April 2002.

DB Breweries’ general manager marketing Clare Morgan says the decision to cancel the trademark was a logical one given the company hasn’t produced Saison for a considerable time.

“We haven’t brewed Monteith’s Saison for six years and we have no intention of re-launching it to the market as it no longer fits our current Monteith’s portfolio. The brand was very well received when it was first launched but we ceased production in 2003.”

Clare Morgan says the cancellation of the Saison trademark has no bearing on the company’s ‘Radler’ trademark.

“Monteith’s Radler has been in the market for nearly 10 years and is one of our most popular variants. Our investment over this time has been substantial and reflects our ongoing commitment to its longevity and success.”

ENDS
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