The Belgian-based brewing force, Interbrew, has lost its second attempt to challenge the banking group, HSBC, over the use of its slogan, “the world’s local bank”. A Belgian court threw out the suit brought by Interbrew which sought to ban HSBC from using the slogan that Interbrew considers to be too similar to its own tagline, “the world’s local brewer”, first used by Interbrew in 1999.
A similar case was thrown out by a Dutch court last year, although Interbrew is appealing this decision. A third case is pending in France.
Go deeper with GlobalData
In the Belgian case, HSBC contended that Interbrew had no exclusive rights to the words “the world’s local,” because they are already widely in use, citing campaigns by a designer magazine, a pop group and a telephone company.
“We believe the case has no merit, as we believe consumers can tell the difference between a bank loan and a pint of Stella,” said HSBC spokesman, Adrian Russell. “We will contest any further actions.”
However, Interbrew has vowed to fight on. “We will pursue these cases,” said Corneel Maes, the brewer’s vice president for corporate communications. “We must protect our rights.”
How well do you really know your competitors?
Access the most comprehensive Company Profiles on the market, powered by GlobalData. Save hours of research. Gain competitive edge.
Thank you!
Your download email will arrive shortly
Not ready to buy yet? Download a free sample
We are confident about the unique quality of our Company Profiles. However, we want you to make the most beneficial decision for your business, so we offer a free sample that you can download by submitting the below form
By GlobalData
