The Wall Street Journal reports this morning on how the Coca-Cola Co. has been fighting an uphill battle to trademark the word "Zero" for its diet soft drinks.
The story says that US regulators have taken the issue under advisement, while both Canada and the UK have rejected Coke's efforts to trademark the common English word. The story says that "if Coke prevails, it could more easily sue imitators. If it loses, it could face an onslaught of competitors such as Dr Pepper’s Diet Rite Pure Zero, who take the name and dilute a brand that has turned out to be a star for Coke in a game that has been rough going."
The Journal also notes that while diet soft drinks have taken a sales hit because of growing consumer concerns about artificial sweeteners, Coke's "Zero" products have not been hit as hard.
The story says that US regulators have taken the issue under advisement, while both Canada and the UK have rejected Coke's efforts to trademark the common English word. The story says that "if Coke prevails, it could more easily sue imitators. If it loses, it could face an onslaught of competitors such as Dr Pepper’s Diet Rite Pure Zero, who take the name and dilute a brand that has turned out to be a star for Coke in a game that has been rough going."
The Journal also notes that while diet soft drinks have taken a sales hit because of growing consumer concerns about artificial sweeteners, Coke's "Zero" products have not been hit as hard.
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