DOG DAYS FOR CANINE “CHAMPAGNE”

A WORD of advice to anyone seeking to register a product with a name bearing the slightest similarity to “Champagne”: think twice. Champagne producers take that very seriously. Most recently, Moet Hennessy, citing its high-end Dom Perignon brand, moved to block a Florida man from registering “Dog Perignon”. Fort Myers-based Kai Pfretzschner wanted to register the name as a trademark for “electrolyte drink mix for pets” but Moet said it would be confusingly similar to Dom Perignon. In the past, other companies have attempted names such as  Glampagne, Canned-Pagne and Champlagne (a sparkling wine produced in Lake Champlagne).