'Kia Kaha' trademark spat sinks T-shirt quake fundraiser
UPDATED WEDNESDAY 6am: Wellington-based label Kia Kaha issues a cease-and-desist notice to Auckland's Mr Vintage.
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An Auckland T-shirt company trying to raise money for earthquake-affected Christchurch charities has been ordered to stop using the phrase "Kia Kaha Christchurch" because it breaches a trademark held by another clothing label.
Wellington-based label Kia Kaha issued the cease and desist notice to Mr Vintage today.
Mr Vintage notified potential customers of the situation on its Facebook page, which prompted a storm of condemnation from followers.
Founder Robert Ewan told NZPA it was a disappointing situation but he did not want to make it a big issue.
"I think it's more about Christchurch and helping them, rather than getting into a battle with Kia Kaha."
Mr Vintage had already raised $11,000 from two other T-shirt designs and Mr Vintage would produce another T-shirt, not using the Kia Kaha phrase, for Christchurch, he said.
Kia Kaha is also producing Christchurch T-shirts, with proceeds going to the Red Cross Earthquake Appeal.
Managing director Dan Love could not be contacted for comment.
However, National MP Tau Henare - who took to Twitter to defend the company once enraged comments started to appear on the social network - told NBR that "Kia Kaha is going to come to the party in a big way" with its own quake relief initiative.
Mr Henare said there was more to the story than meets the eye, but would not elaborate. He conceded that, so far, the episode had been a public relations disaster for the label.
Kia Kaha, which was established in 1994, gained international attention when it teamed up with golfer Michael Campbell, who went on to win the 2005 US Open Golf Tournament, wearing his design on the company's gear.
NZPA and NBR staff
Tue, 01 Mar 2011
Tue, 01 Mar 2011
© All content copyright NBR. Do not reproduce in any form without permission, even if you have a paid subscription.
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'Kia Kaha' trademark spat sinks T-shirt quake fundraiser
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