Welsh Government logo dispute forces Penderyn to overhaul £1 million advertising campaign
The Welsh Government has forced whisky producer Penderyn to overhaul a £1 million advertising campaign following a trademark dispute over the distiller's logo.
The disagreement comes after the whisky company, based in the Brecon Beacons, used the same Welsh dragon symbol that Visit Wales - which is run by the Welsh Government - secured trademark for in 2016.
The controversial ad was promoting Welsh single malt whiskies in New Zealand and was seen on digital billboards and social media resulting to confusion for some New Zealanders believing that it was a promotion by the Welsh Government.
The £1 million campaign is part of a push by the distillers to probe the growing Oceanic and Asian markets where spirits have become popular and Wales has become pivotal of the world whisky market.
An email chain, seen by The Telegraph, shows how Visit Wales listed social media posts, adverts and billboards featuring their red dragon alongside pictures of Snowdonia mountains, salt lamb chops and the Dolbadarn Castle in Caernarfon.
The company has responded and sees the ‘Wales - New Zealand of the North’ comparison-campaign as a mark of respect for New Zealand. It also called the use of the logo an "honest mistake" and wants to resolve the issue swiftly.
A spokesperson for Visit Wales said: “Penderyn is one of many great Welsh food and drink products that we produce in Wales.
"The specific logo used in this case was part of the registered trademark of the Cymru Wales brand – we would of course not restrict use of the Welsh dragon generally.”
Penderyn Distillery, which was launched in 2000 and is based in the foothills of the Brecon Beacons, insisted it had “accidentally” used the Visit Wales sign, despite the company having obtained a trademark for its own dragon symbol.
Although the Visit Wales dragon and Penderyn logos at first glance appear similar, there are subtle differences. While the former has three feet on the ground, the latter is standing on two legs and has a slightly more upright body.
Some of their single malt whisky is called the ‘Dragon’ range and features their take on the Visit Wales logo.
A Penderyn spokesman said: “The use of the Visit Wales logo was an honest mistake which we are eager to rectify after the government brought it to our attention.
“The campaign has been little tongue in cheek. In this fight, the Visit Wales dragon has breathed fire that singed us a little.”