Austrians receive help with advertising for Euro 2008
Euro 2008 is an ideal advertising platform. However, there is considerable uncertainty about how companies can benefit from it without infringing on UEFA’s rights. The Austrian Chamber of Commerce (WKÖ) aims to address this issue with a guide and case studies.
The umbrella organization of the Austrian Economic Chambers (WKÖ) wants to provide companies with legal advice to prevent advertising around the 2008 European Football Championships from triggering similar trademark disputes to those at the 2006 World Cup in Germany. The aim is to prevent Austrian companies from interfering with UEFA's rights and potential lawsuits. Susanne Auer-Strobl from the WKÖ told Pressetext.ch that there was a great deal of uncertainty: "In recent weeks, there have been an extremely large number of inquiries from marketing representatives wanting to know how they are allowed to advertise and what is prohibited. There have been no court rulings on many topics in Austria to date, which is why it makes sense to seek legal advice in individual cases." In order to create clarity, the WKÖ commissioned lawyer Michael Horak to compile the legal provisions; according to Horak, the use of UEFA word/image marks such as the logo or mascots is prohibited. The giving away or raffling of tickets, the use of football player names or imitation logos can also result in legal sanctions. However, a descriptive reference to the European Championship is permitted, for example: Only during the 2008 European Championship: 10 percent off all footballs. Or: We'll win the title. "You definitely have to be creative," says Auer-Strobl.
