Bagpipes ARE musical instruments - at least in Egypt

Bagpipes ARE musical instruments - at least in Egypt

The Scots are proud of their musical traditions, though many have heaped insults upon the bagpipes. The IPKat can now assure readers that, contrary to malicious rumours spread by their detractors, bagpipes have been accepted to be a musical instrument following a ruling by the Egypt Trade Mark Registry's Opposition Committee, noted in the February 2007 issue of the NJQ & Co Newsletter.

The Jenaklis Vineyards Drinks Co. applied to register the three signs depicted here as trade marks for goods in Classes 33 and 35. The Scotch Whisky Association (represented by NJQ) opposed on the grounds that (i) the devices of a man playing a musical instrument were confusingly similar to the trade mark DEWAR'S SCOTCH WHISKY owned by Bacardi, thus misleading consumers as to the real origin of the product; (ii) the word "Scott" was used to describe people living in Scotland,and was similar to the words "Scotch" and "Scotland", thus inherently confusing the public as to the origin of the product; (iii) the use of a device of a man playing a musical instrument and wearing the traditional costume of Scotland, in addition to the use of the word "Scott" in the term "Black Scott" would certainly make the public believe erroneously that the real origin of the product was Scotland. The Opposition Committee agreed with the SWA and upheld the opposition.

For further details contact NJQ's Egypt office here
Egyptian whisky here and here
Bagpipes - a sound investment here
Bagpipes pose no health risk here
Join the Noise Abatement Society here