Opposition
In October 2023, the Germans filed for trademark protection for the design of their cans of Gorbatchow Energy Mixed, for drinks with and without alcohol. In early February 2024, Red Bull hit on that and filed opposition to the registration. Then, in order to avert the impending doom, Gorbatchow decided at the end of April to limit its product description slightly: the “beverages without alcohol” were deleted.
Sleeping dog
That’s how we take the sting out of it, they must have thought at Gorbatchow. So don’t worry Red Bull, this way it won’t be confusing anymore because unlike your drink, this one contains alcohol and therefore we will stay at a sufficient distance from the alcohol-free Red Bull. Hmmm, I wonder about that. The sleeping dog has been awakened and you won’t get it back in its basket any time soon. Whether or not there is alcohol in the mixed drink: such a blue-silver-red can marked “Energy” is of course dangerously close to the world-famous Red Bull design. Even without alcohol, I put my money on Red Bull.
Bas Kist