Winnebago Reclaims Its Name After 3 Decades
The Winnebago name has been around since the 1960s and most people, at some point, have heard of the name, seen the logo, or even taken a vacation in one. For some, the Winnebago brings back fond memories of family vacations, travelling the country and a sense of freedom without boundaries. For one Australian company, that reputation was one for the taking.
The Facts
Winnebagos were first sold in the US and then were quickly expanded overseas into the UK, Canada and Europe. They quickly became the front runner in the RV industry. At the time, the Winnebago wasn’t available in Australia, so a businessman took advantage of this by copying the Winnebago brand and slapping a similar stylized logo on the side of their RVs. In 1982 Knotts Investments began to manufacture and sell RVs with a similar logo to the original Winnebago company — later found by the court to be “an attempt to present the new business as an associate of the well-established and highly respected Winnebago”.
By 1985 the US company had become aware of these activities and took steps to protect its legal position in Australia. In 1992 a settlement had been reached and Knotts Investments agreed to cease association with the company and never apply for a trademark of the Winnebago name. After the agreement, the Australian company continued to exploit the Winnebago brand and trademarked the logo in 1997. When the US company became interested in selling motorhomes in Australia, it continued its proceedings in the Australian Federal Court in 2010.
The Evidence
Winnebago gathered substantial evidence of its reputation outside Australia and presented evidence of the Winnebago brand being prominent in popular culture. The judge found that a great deal of potential motorhome owners in Australia would have known of the US company at the time the unauthorized version began to be sold.
As a result, the court found that the use of the Winnebago brand by the Australian company was a false representation of association with the US company, and ordered the immediate cancellation of its registered trademark. The court also saw the conduct as misleading and deceptive.
Winnebago Today
The first US Winnebago caravans were finally introduced to the Australian market this year. They were debuted at the Melbourne Caravan Show with the first customer taking ownership in March of 2015. It has been a long and drawn out battle for the US Winnebago company, but what a refreshing story to remind us it’s never too late to seek out what is right.
Triangle RV
Here at Triangle RV we are proud to carry Winnebagos for our customers. We believe Winnebagos are great RVs that embody what an RV manufacturer should be. Take a look at our inventory and come talk to us today.