Say goodbye to Vodkat. A British court recently ruled in favor of Russia-based vodka brand Diageo who claimed that vodka must be “a legally protected product which should conform to EU content regulations”.

According to the new ruling, ‘vodka’ is defined as a drink made from 100 percent distilled alcohol with at least 37.5 percent alcohol content. This means that brands which do not have a sufficient amount of alcohol will not be allowed to have names which sound like or contain the word ‘vodka’. Consequently, the defendant InterContinental Brands which named its alcoholic drinks under the ‘Vodkat’ brand since 2005, can no longer do so.

For the Russians who believe that the Russian word ‘vodka’ is associated with their history and culture, this High Court ruling represents further progress in protecting the brand equity of all of the Russian vodka brands in lucrative foreign markets. Many producers use Russian-vodka-sounding names, but their products are not necessarily ‘real’ Russian vodka. Spokeswoman of state-run Russian vodka maker Soyuzplodoimport said, “This meaningful decision will help differentiate the brand concept of 'vodka' and protect it from fakes or misinterpretations by dishonest producers.”

By taking legal action Diageo protected their brand equity. Having brands which claim to offer the same product, vodka, can mislead consumers and harm the brands who are truly offering the real thing.

Vodka is a drink that a lot of people take great pleasure from. Just as Philip Almond, director of Diageo commented after the trail, “The court's verdict in this case is important not only for Diageo, but for other owners of vodka brands, vodka producers and consumers.”