BrewDog: yet another hip company using 'rebel' language to sell its stuff
- Thread starter treelover
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SpookyFrank
A cheap source of teeth for aquarium gravel
His lawyers are gonna be mad at him for that I reckon, looks suspiciousy like an admission of wrongdoing.
SpookyFrank
A cheap source of teeth for aquarium gravel
I'm pleased to say I've never given Brewdog a brass penny and never will.
editor
hiraethified
Same here. They're as 'punk' as Theresa May.
Smokeandsteam
Working Class First
Hopefully this bar will get more custom with all this publicity. I go past it every day, perhaps I should go in
The bar is owned by a brother and sister who've taken a risk opening where they can afford it and probably a bit far out of the JQ. They do good beer (lots of local breweries) and excellent pie!
They are dead friendly and it's a nice crowd. Given they've had to change everything thanks to Brewdogs 'lawyers' they would probably welcome your support. We went in on Friday and had a top night, give it a go
Smokeandsteam
Working Class First
I'd have far more respect for them if they just put their hands up and apologised and then offered to compensate Lone Wolf for the costs they've incurred in terms of the bar signs etc.
The idea that a legal firm would commence litigation without instruction is just shite.
baldrick
hmmmmm
Yeah the gentrification of the JQ is increasingly creeping out to Hockley. I do wonder how the people who live on the east side of constitution hill feel about all the drunken idiots in their neighbourhood.The bar is owned by a brother and sister who've taken a risk opening where they can afford it and probably a bit far out of the JQ. They do good beer (lots of local breweries) and excellent pie!
They are dead friendly and it's a nice crowd. Given they've had to change everything thanks to Brewdogs 'lawyers' they would probably welcome your support. We went in on Friday and had a top night, give it a go
That said, at least it's not a chain and I will go and check it out at some point soon.
Brewdog backed down in the end. But not before the pub had already rebranded at extra expense
'The Lone Wolf' sounds better
btw, on PM, R4, the owner basically told BD to eff off.
SaskiaJayne
Rural Guerrilla
I think on PM I heard BD state they would offer the bar goodwill gesture of 2 free cases of vodka & half price beer supplies for a year.
Smokeandsteam
Working Class First
To be fair that bottom bit of constitution hill needs something like Lone Wolf, but totally agree re the gentrification of the Jewellery Quarter.
The39thStep
Urban critical thinker
Why on earth would they settle for that?
equationgirl
Respect my existence or expect my resistance
Aye, utter utter bollocks. Even some of the more rapacious fee chasers wouldn't do that without client agreement.
SaskiaJayne said:
And why would the Lone Wolf people even consider that offer anyway? They've already been quoted in that Guardian report saying that they favoured local microbreweries, not corporate/big-company products.
I reckon we'll make a point of going to the LW when we're next in Birmingham, now. They sound like our sort of place anyway
(Thanks for that recommendation as well, Smokeandsteam
)
Smokeandsteam
Working Class First
And why would the Lone Wolf people even consider that offer anyway? They've already been quoted in that Guardian report saying that they favoured local microbreweries, not corporate/big-company products.
I reckon we'll make a point of going to the LW when we're next in Birmingham, now. They sound like our sort of place anyway
(Thanks for that recommendation as well, Smokeandsteam
I'd also recommend fellow indie craft bar, Tilt (on Union Passage - just off New Street) and the Gunmakers Arms (which sells local beer) which is round the corner from Lone Wolf.
Nice one. We've not been in Birmingham for a while, and I wasn't aware of those places when we were last up. We always look for ale-friendly pubs wherever we go 
Winot
I wholeheartedley agree with your viewpoint
How do you know Brew Dog had no case?
editor
hiraethified
Nothing so humble than a multi million company loudly announcing their 'generous' offer to a tiny business they'd just threatened. So damn punk rock!
That's the thing, they may very well have a case and with trademark law if you don't defend your trademark you can lose it - so if they had a relevant trademark before these guys started then they would be doing the right thing as a business to defend it.
Of course that goes against all the punk bollocks which is the point of the thread, they're a £xxx million quid a year company using rebel language to sell their stuff.
I was in the brew dog in Camden the other week, it astounded me how little atmosphere and soul a place that busy can be. Kind of like a really small, expensive and far too bright Wetherspoons.
BTW there is an advert on the tube at the moment for some food company with a revolutionary aubergine or some shit. I can't find a pic right now though.
SpookyFrank
A cheap source of teeth for aquarium gravel
The pub had the name before their fancy booze did.
Intellectual Property Office - By number results - looks like it was registered in July 2016
BrewDog 'hypocritical' in Birmingham Lone Wolf pub name row - BBC News - according to this the pub opened in January
SpookyFrank
A cheap source of teeth for aquarium gravel
It takes time to open a pub. I daresay the business name was registered some time before january.
None of which has any bearing on the ethics involved of course. You're asking for trouble if you try and trademark a piece of common venacular.
editor
hiraethified
The Brewdog cunts are still claiming that their lawyers do just as they please. How very punk rock.
editor
hiraethified
There appears to be a Lone Wolf whiskey already out there
The Best New Beer and Spirit Collaborations
SpookyFrank
A cheap source of teeth for aquarium gravel
Sitting on the naughty step is a long way from being immediately dismissed for acting without client instructions, as any sane business person would do. Still not buying it.
e2a: And the infantile language, while typical of these hipsterish businesses and their (justifiable) contempt for the intelligence of their target market, really doesn't suggest a company that's aware of the gravity of the situation. They've tried to destroy people's livelihoods ffs.
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Winot
I wholeheartedley agree with your viewpoint
Registering a business name with Companies House doesn't give you any rights to stop others using that name as a trade mark. We have a first come first served rule for trade mark registration in the UK. The exception is if the pub had established sufficient common law rights through use before Brew Dog filed their application. However that is difficult to do and seems unlikely in this case (from what I've read).
The law says that you can't register a mark if it is non-distinctive, for example descriptive of the goods or services you are covering. Lone Wolf isn't descriptive of beer or pubs, so that bit of law isn't relevant here. It's perfecty possible to register a mark that's common vernacular as long as it isn't descriptive of the goods/services themselves.
You are correct though that the bit about blaming their lawyers is PR bollocks. The lawyers would have acted on instructions, as many have pointed out. It's unsurprising that Brew Dog are protecting their trade mark, but they have clearly screwed up on the PR and are trying to back-pedal. There are ways of doing this without being cunts, and good lawyers will adapt their tone and attitude to suit the situation. So I've no sympathy for Brew Dog here, just trying to correct a few common misunderstandings about the law.
(I do this for a living BTW)
equationgirl
Respect my existence or expect my resistance
I must admit, there would be a certain karmic payback if Brewdog clashed with this pre-existing drinks brand legally
The Pale King
Well-Known Member
Seems a patronising and self-serving gesture
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