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26th March 2014 |
New York
City's Explorers Club sue Diageo owners of
Johnnie Walker for
stealing its name.
 New
York City's Explorers Club is suing
Diageo, the parent company of Johnnie
Walker for using its name on its Johnnie
Walker Explorers' Club Collection travel
retail exclusive range of blended whisky
which it launched with
Johnnie Walker Spice Road in
2012.
After talks with the company broke down
the 120 year old
New York based Explorers Club whose
celebrated members range from Sir Ernest
Shackleton to Buzz Aldrin have slapped
Diageo owners of Johnnie Walker with a
lawsuit for stealing its name for a new
whisky brand.
The 120 year-old club, headquartered at
an East 70th Street New York say they
own the trademark on "The Explorers
Club" name and sent Diageo a
cease-and-desist in the spring 2013.
"Diageo’s use of the Explorers Club name
is likely to deceive, and in fact
already has deceived, the public into
believing that Diageo’s products are
affiliated with The Explorers Club," the
Manhattan civil suit says.
"The Explorers’ Club Collection
currently consists of the Trade Route
Series, a set of three whiskies labelled
The Spice Road, The Gold
Route and
The Royal Route,” according
to the Manhattan civil suit.
They say that the whisky label is
printed in a font that is "confusingly
similar" to the one used by the club.
They also say that Diageo has even
modelled its airport tasting kiosks
after the interior design of the club
with wood panelling, beamed ceilings and
a standing globe.
A sales rep at one of the airport shops
said the whisky was made at the NYC
club, according to court papers.
The Explorers Club, a not-for-profit
organization, wants the liquor company
to stop selling the new brand or cough
up licensing fees. It filed suit after
negotiations with Diageo broke down.
Club members "are responsible for the
most iconic achievements in exploration"
with such distinctions as being the
first to reach the North and South
poles, the first to summit Mount Everest
and the first to the moon.
The group continues to sponsor
expeditions, funds student research and
hosts events.
Diageo has not yet commented.
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