Sweden has made its mark as the first country worldwide to trademark its name with the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO).
That’s right, the country who produced ABBA and IKEA are seeking to protect its name from eight other ‘Sweden’(s) internationally – including one in New York, USA.
Although current legislations do not allow the trademark of a country name, Sweden remains optimistic in its application, as it claims to identify as a destination and not a country.
A Means to Tourism Growth for Sweden
According to Visit Sweden, Sweden’s official tourism website, the intention of the application is to distinguish the country from the eight other similarly named destinations.
In an effort to boost its identity and tourism, the Scandinavian country is also seeking to avoid confusion for travelers who are looking to experience ‘the Original Sweden’ – the tagline of a campaign launched by Visit Sweden which aims to ‘separate the original from the dupes.’
Visit Sweden highlights unique aspects of the country, naming wild blueberries, 200,000 exclusive islands, icehotel stays and outstanding nature retreats as highly distinguishable attractions for visitors to enjoy.
CEO of Visit Sweden, Susanne Anderson states: ‘It’s flattering that other places want to be called Sweden, but we’d prefer if there was just one. Our Sweden. The one with lakes, islands, forests, and the world’s best flat-pack furniture.’
‘When people think of Sweden, they should picture our rich landscapes, fika culture, and iconic design, not another city or town that happens to share our name. We want everyone to join us, sign the petition, and help travelers discover the one and only, and original, Sweden.’ (source)
Standing Out From the Rest
Visit Sweden conducted a survey revealing 45% of travelers are entangled in mix ups when planning itineraries due to similarly named spots. Furthermore, 8% of travelers admitted to ending up in the wrong destination.
This may not be surprising as many famous cities around the world share their name with lesser known spots, therefore some confusion is bound to happen. For example, there are 34 Londons around the world, with one London more well-known than others, located in the U.K.
The trademark application is a way for the Swedish tourism board to address this particular issue in hopes of representing the ‘original Sweden’ as stated by Visit Sweden.
Countries with similar issues could follow in Sweden’s footsteps should the trademark gain approval.
