A problematic brand. The British restaurant chain Pho has abandoned its branding with the Vietnamese word “Pho” after being criticized by several users on Tiktok, according to the Daily Mail.
It all started with a simple video shared on Tiktok. In an October 12 post, content creator iamyenlikethemoney said she was surprised to learn that the company had trademarked the words “PHO,” “Pho” and “pho” in 2007.
Calls for boycott
In 2013, the company took legal action against independent Vietnamese restaurants for using the name “Pho.”
“Do you realize? It’s like registering the word ‘fish and chips’, ‘kebab’ or ‘sushi’. It’s super generic, it’s literally the name of the national dish in Vietnam,” she said indignantly. “That the whites are chasing the Vietnamese, how audacious,” the cameraman gets angry.
The video quickly went viral. The publication exceeded 2.7 million views. “It’s crazy that the intellectual property office approves these types of requests,” one user commented. “I had no idea, I will avoid this restaurant,” adds another. Many netizens have called for a “brand boycott” to prevent restaurant owners from using and profiting from the term “pho.”
Supported by her community, the influencer contacted Pho Restaurant to ask it to abandon its brand. “I hope they take my request into account because this brand will really no longer be acceptable in 2024,” he specifies.
“False” excuses
“Our founders opened Pho to pay tribute to the national dish of Vietnam, after falling in love with it during their travels,” the brand defended itself on its social networks. “Like you, we believe that pho belongs to no one but the Vietnamese people. (…) More than 50 companies in the UK currently own a trademark linked to the word.”
A statement, far from convincing users, who described these excuses as “fallacious.” A spokesperson for the restaurant later told the Daily Mail that the chain had “listened to the comments last week” and “understands the concerns” raised by internet users.
“It’s a community effort,” said iamyenlikethemoney, in another Tiktok video. “I truly believe in the power of community. Every comment, every video produced on this topic has helped us achieve the goal of removing the ‘pho’ brand.”
According to the British Intellectual Property Office, restaurant Pho filed an application to waive its trademark “Pho” on Monday, October 21. The procedure ended on October 23. As a result, Vietnamese businesses in the UK can finally include the word “pho” in their name without risking legal retaliation.
Source: BFM TV
