Winnebago launches new brand Avida
Winnebago Australia has launched a new brand Avida.
The announcement:
Winnebago Australia, after months of deliberation, has announced that it will be rebranding all its motorhomes effective February 28, 2013.
The new brand name is called Avida
Avida Motorhomes will be promoted initially as the makers of the Australian Winnebago to provide credibility to the new brand by associating Avida with the best known Motorhome brand in Australia and New Zealand.
Ben Binns, CEO of Avida Motorhomes said “We have always considered operating with two distinct brands in the marketplace however the legal battle over the rights to use the Winnebago name in Australasia has convinced us that we need to create our own Australian identity”
Winnebago Industries of Iowa in the United States of America, a company not associated with Winnebago in Australia has, after a period of over four decades, decided to take action to prevent Winnebago Australia from using the name despite having signed an agreement in the early 1990’s.
A Federal Court decision in July 2012 decided in favour of the US giant however Winnebago Australia has appealed the decision, which is due to be heard in March of this year.
“Avida is a brand which will be with us for many years irrespective of the result of the appeal and to assist in providing credibility to the Avida brand, we intend to promote Avida as the makers of the Australian Winnebago, linking our heritage since 1965 to the newest motorhome brand on the market” said Mr Binns.
Avida and Winnebago continue to build the largest range of motorhomes in Australia and demonstrably the strongest; after all, with 48 years of manufacturing experience building motorhomes in Australia behind them, who better would understand what is required to withstand the harsh road and climatic conditions found throughout Australia.
Source: Winnebago press release
At the suggestion of a paid professional branding company, the owner of the business, previously trading as Winnebago Australia, says he is changing the name to the much more Australian name : Avida. As i have nver heard of this ‘Australian’ word, I did a serch on the internet. Google tells me Avida is a very sophisticated software program, a non-invasive treatment clinic in Canberra, and multi-million dollar real estate development in the Phillipines.
I hope the owner of the business is happy with the ‘professional’ advice he has received.
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When it comes to trusting a brand and a company, one that trades off the goodwill of another’s name is questionable.
Winnebago USA should never have let this drag on so long and all those years ago when they were aware of the breaches, should have nipped it in the bud.
I feel for all the dealers who are caught in the middle of this having to rebrand themselves – signage, stationery, advertising and so on. They are the victims of this breach of intellectual property. I have no sympathy for Binns and his business.
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Hope your quality control improves with the new name ???
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