Hospitality firms urged to check before using World Cup to promote business

9th June 2010, 2:48pm

In the frenzied build-up to the World Cup, restaurants, cafes, hotels and pubs are among the businesses being warned to check copyright and trademark guidelines, according to a report in The Independent.

In addition hospitality businesses are being advised to obtain licenses before using the World Cup emblems and words in their promotional material in order to avoid being stung by infringement penalties.

Any business that is found to be using protected logos, words and/or emblems by FIFA, the FA, a football team, or football player, could find themselves guilty of a breach and could have their services closed down and in serious cases be made to pay a large fine.

Intellectual property expert and partner at law firm GSC Clive Halperin told The Independent: "Businesses could face payouts of tens of thousands of pounds, if not more. I would urge any business, no matter what size to check they are adhering to some of the essential copyright and trademark guidelines and have licenses in place."

Halperin suggests a disclaimer confirming that there is no affiliation with the World Cup or the England team" is one way of avoiding any legal action but that this is not necessarily enough and cases will be judged individually to determine exactly how the branding has been used.

So what exactly can businesses get away with? Visit our accompanying feature in our Analysis section on the Do's and Don'ts when using the World Cup to maximize your business - without any nasty risks.

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