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Oktoberfest 2019 on Munich's Theresienwiese
Photo: Tobias Hase / dpa
The original Oktoberfest in Munich is also canceled this year due to the corona.
But Oktoberfest copies are to take place in cities like Berlin and Rostock.
However, organizers must carefully consider how they advertise such imitations in the future.
Because after five years of examination by the EU Intellectual Property Authority (EUIPO), the “Oktoberfest” has become a protected trademark.
The office, based in Alicante, Spain, has approved the application of the Munich city administration and has now published the trademark with the status "registered" on its website.
The trademark protection initially applies until 2026.
The Munich city administration wants to prevent Oktoberfest profiteers who want to exploit the popularity of the Oktoberfest without the Bavarian capital benefiting from it.
The term is now protected for 22 "product classes" from soap and credit cards to uniform rental, including tourism advertising.
The protection of the Oktoberfest brand does not mean that Oktoberfest imitations from Brazil to Malaysia to the USA can no longer take place in principle.
The city of Munich now has a way to prevent unpleasant Oktoberfest imitations.
The dispute over the Dubai Oktoberfest ended up in court
The main cause of trouble in Munich was the plan of some business people to set up a large-scale replacement Oktoberfest in Dubai.
The city of Munich therefore went to court and got it right there.
The judges forbade the organizers, among other things, from advertising with the phrase “Oktoberfest goes Dubai” and an associated image.
The court saw consumers being misled and reputation exploitation unfair.
The slogan can be understood to mean that the Munich Oktoberfest will be relocated to Dubai or evade, the court justified its decision.
The good reputation of the Oktoberfest is thus inadmissibly transferred to the event in Dubai.
It is unclear whether and when a desert Oktoberfest will take place at all.
In July, the "Bild" newspaper reported that the event, which was originally planned for October 7, would be postponed due to the spread of the corona pandemic in the United Arab Emirates.
The organizers had planned the Dubai Oktoberfest parallel to the world exhibition Expo.
This should continue to take place as planned from October to March 2022.
mmq / dpa
