Sweden Becomes First Country in the World to Apply for Trademark
The application comes as Visit Sweden looks to Prevent Travel Mix-Ups Among Tourists
Stockholm, Sweden – November 12, 2024 - Sweden is making a bold (and slightly cheeky) move to trademark its name, putting an end to travel mix-ups. The home of cinnamon rolls and fika has applied to the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) to protect its name from international duplicates that might confuse unsuspecting travellers who want to experience the original Sweden and is calling on people around the world to support its application via an online petition.
Watch how to distinguish the original Sweden here.
Red and white cottages in the original Sweden. Photo: Markus Holm/Visit Sweden Download
The trademark application addresses a common problem travellers face with name-alike locations – with eight places around the world called "Sweden", multiple Germanys, dozens of Americas, and 34 Londons globally, it’s not hard to see why a little brand clarity might be in order. Visit Sweden has decided it’s time to step in and help tourists avoid holiday blunders, so no one packs for the Swedish lakes and forests, only to find themselves in a far-off town with the same name but none of the Scandi charm.
A recent survey by Visit Sweden revealed almost half of travellers (45%) encounter duplicate place names when planning trips and a surprising 8% confessed they have even ended up in the wrong spot.
The study also revealed a large share of younger travellers aged 20-32 support the idea of trademarking names to prevent location mix-ups (54% in the US, 45% in the UK and 44% in Sweden).
“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,” quipped Susanne Anderson, CEO of Visit Sweden. “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 travellers discover the one and only, and original, Sweden.”
If successful, Sweden’s trademark could lead to clearer travel planning and fewer mix-ups in the future. With the online petition now live, Visit Sweden is calling on everyone’s support to help create travel harmony.
To spot the “real” Sweden, Visit Sweden has a few humorous hints: keep an eye out for free wild blueberries, quiet natural luxury (more nature, less bling), and maybe even your own private island. And if you find hotels catering to “eight seasons” instead of the usual four, you’ve definitely arrived in the Original Sweden.
The application reflects recent trends in protecting brand authenticity as people become more alert to “dupes” in fashion, products – and now, destinations.
Source: Visit Sweden Survey Autumn 2024, Visit Sweden/YouGov 1,000 interviews per market, via the internet, with men and women aged 20-70
Josefin Haraldsson
Country Manager & Head of PR USA
pressusa@visitsweden.com
Steve Robertshaw
Senior PR Manager UK
steve.robertshaw@visitsweden.com
Visit Sweden
Visit Sweden is a marketing company owned by the Swedish government. It is a national tourism organisation to promote the destination Sweden to increase the country's attractiveness and contributes to tourism consumption, export earnings and employment. Visit Sweden works together with the Swedish tourism industry to effectively reach the most desired target groups for long-term sustainable tourism. Visit Sweden is based in Stockholm with local representation in several foreign markets.
Welcome to Sweden, a destination of a different nature.
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