Souness Wins Soda Pop Battle

Scottish artist manager Dougie Souness has won his long legal wrangle with beverage producer Coca-Cola, which had tried to trademark his company name as a brand slogan for one of its products.

The intellectual property office has confirmed that the fizzy pop giant has now withdrawn its application to trade mark the term “No Half Measures,” which Souness has been using as a company name for nearly 25 years.

His victory is made more complete by the office of harmonisation for the internal market informing him that Coca-Cola has also withdrawn its opposition to him registering the title as a European Union trademark.

“It has been a long and at times fraught encounter. However, we feel completely vindicated in our decision to stand up to one of the biggest businesses in the world,” Souness explained. “I’d very much like to thank everyone who gave us their support.”

The Glasgow-based music and entertainment firm’s problem began in 2008 when Relentless, Coca-Cola’s energy drink brand, started using the mark “No Half Measures” on various music business ventures it supported.

Souness, who manages Wet Wet Wet, Hue and Cry, GoGoBot, The Law, Patricia Vonne, and The River 68’s, says the corporate giant was dismissive of his argument that he’d been using the name far longer than Coca-Cola and that he’d built a substantial amount of goodwill while doing so.

The company also showed little interest in his early efforts to settle the dispute, so Souness is particularly pleased that his claim has finally been recognised.