November 12th 2024.
People often claim to be the "original" or most authentic version of something, and this is no different when it comes to countries. Recently, there has been a trademark dispute between two famous individuals with the same first name, Kylie Jenner and Kylie Minogue. Now, another trademark drama is brewing, but this time it involves an entire country.
You see, there are a few places in the world that share the name Sweden. However, the one that most people think of is the Sweden in Scandinavia. This Sweden has applied for a trademark to protect its name from other duplicate countries that might confuse travelers looking for the "real" Sweden. The Visit Sweden tourism board explains that the trademark application aims to prevent people from mistakenly ending up in a far-off town with the same name but none of the Scandinavian charm.
But what exactly is a trademark? According to John Warchus, a partner at Moore Barlow Lawyers, a trademark is a legal right that gives the owner the exclusive use of a word, phrase, or symbol in relation to a class of goods or services. It prevents others from using the same or similar mark in the same class. The Northern Lights, a popular attraction in Sweden, are a major selling point for the country.
While it may seem outlandish, there have been instances where travelers have ended up in the wrong place due to duplicate names. For example, in 2010, Liverpool football fans accidentally went to Lille, Belgium instead of Lille, France. In fact, 35% of Swedes support the idea of a trademark to distinguish their country as the "real deal" where you can experience the Northern Lights, enjoy fika (coffee break), take home iconic designs, and possibly encounter a moose or two.
However, there are other Swedens that may have something to say about this trademark. Visit Sweden claims there are at least 8 other places in the world with the same name, including a few towns in the USA. While some of these are small and relatively unknown, the town of Sweden in upstate New York is quite well-known and about the same size as Barnet in north London.
The purpose of this trademark is to avoid confusion for travelers, but it only applies within the European Union. So, other towns with the name Sweden outside of the EU are safe. However, if there is another Sweden within the EU, the owner of that trademark could potentially block the new application for being too similar.
Despite the lack of competition, Sweden is still pushing for their trademark and has even started a petition for people to sign in support. Susanne Anderson, CEO of Visit Sweden, explains that they want to be the one and only Sweden, with its beautiful lakes, islands, forests, and world-renowned flat-pack furniture. They are calling on people worldwide to join them and help protect the "original" and only Sweden.
This is not the first time a mix-up has occurred due to duplicate names. In 2014, an American couple ended up on the island of Grenada in the Caribbean instead of their intended destination, Granada in Spain. Despite their tickets not listing the country or flight duration, the airline staff didn't realize the mistake until after take-off. Surprisingly, this was not the first time this mix-up had happened.
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