Scandic Bar ApS, founded by Zander Lauritzen Hansen, produces professional bartender equipment and has become a trusted brand in Europe. Their journey to securing an EU trademark was far from simple, but perseverance and self-education turned challenges into a victory. Today, the “Scandic Bar” brand stands as a mark of quality and credibility.
From the archives
Zander Lauritzen Hansen, the CEO of Scandic Bar ApS, is the proud owner of an EU trademark registered in the EU countries. However, getting his trademark registered was not a child’s play for him as he faced lots of challenges along the way. Despite the hurdles faced, Zander persevered, and now he is successfully leveraging his trademark to its fullest potential.
Our trademark has greatly benefited us in negotiations with customers, as having our own registered trademark adds credibility to our business, and now, our brand is a sign of our high-quality products.
Scandic Bar is a company that produces and sells bartender's equipment for preparing and serving drinks. Having a registered trademark in this sector is crucial, considering the presence of generic and low-quality products, which can significantly impact customer satisfaction. Nevertheless, your trademark registration process was not very straightforward. Can you explain us a bit of that story?
Indeed, we wanted to increase our brand recognition, enhance our marketing activities, and protect our name when we were established. Therefore, we filed our trademark application for "Scandic Bar" to protect our IP rights. Since we are based in Scandinavia, we designed our logo as a stylised "valknut" (a historic symbol consisting of three interlocked triangles generally associated with Scandinavian culture) along with our brand name.
We first researched the process and sought professional support. However, when we applied, at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, we had no way of imagining what challenges lay ahead. Shortly after applying, we received a warning letter stating that our trademark application was confusingly similar to another brand. To handle this in the best possible way, we decided to reach out to the other party directly to try and find an amicable solution. Unfortunately, these discussions didn't end positively, and as the costs of IP lawyers were not affordable for our small company at the time, we decided to tackle the situation ourselves.
This period was quite challenging, as it coincided with the COVID-19 pandemic, forcing us to shut down all our activities, as we were active in the entertainment and HORESCA sector. Nevertheless, I was fortunate to have my girlfriend, who is more persistent than me, supporting me during this time. We worked on the case together, even with our new-born baby in our arms. We educated ourselves on IP by participating in numerous online courses and tutorials from the EUIPO (European Union Intellectual Property Office).
Eventually, our efforts and, (especially, my girlfriend's determination) paid off, and we finally won the case and got our trademark registered.
It's great to hear that this very interesting story concluded with a happy ending. Apparently, you -and your girlfriend- worked very hard to regain your trademark. Why was it so crucial for you to have that trademark? Are you effectively taking full advantage of the opportunities it brings?
Our trademark is crucial for us for several reasons. Firstly, it affirms that our brand holds the value we claim it to have. A registered trademark has a significant impact on reputation, as it showcases to the world who we are in our marketing efforts.
Additionally, it has greatly benefited us in negotiations with customers, as having our own registered trademark adds credibility to our business, and now, our brand “Scandic Bar” is a sign of our high-quality products.
Lastly, could you provide some valuable advice to our readers regarding the significance of intellectual property (IP) and why they should prioritise protecting their IP rights?
A registered trademark is a powerful tool for all businesses, as it represents your face in the market. I strongly recommend protecting your IP rights through trademark registration to secure your branding strategy and the future of your business.
However, based on our experience, even if you have limited knowledge about IP and decide to work with IP professionals, I recommend everyone to learn at least the basics and conduct some research on what it entails. You can find training opportunities and tools, like the Creative FLIP's My Intellectual Property tool, available freely on the Internet.
Ultimately, I strongly recommend filing a trademark application to protect your IP rights and position your business for the best possible future.
Find more information about the Scandic Bar here.
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Images: © Zander Lauritzen Hansen, Scandic Bar
Key Takeaways
Zander Lauritzen Hansen, the CEO of Scandic Bar ApS
