UK Restaurant Chain Drops Trademark on Vietnamese Word "Pho" Following International Backlash
In a significant reversal, Pho Restaurant has surrendered its trademark on the Vietnamese word "pho" after facing widespread international condemnation on social media. This move comes nearly two decades after the UK-based restaurant chain initially trademarked the word, sparking controversy and restricting the use of "pho" by Vietnamese businesses in the UK.
According to the UK’s Intellectual Property Office, Pho Restaurant filed a request to surrender its trademark on the word "pho" on Monday, with the process being officially completed two days later on Wednesday. This development effectively makes the Vietnamese word "pho" available for use by all businesses in the UK, ending Pho Restaurant’s exclusive claim on the term.
The trademark surrender was first reported by Daily Mail’s Femail, quoting a Pho Restaurant spokesperson as saying that the chain had "been listening to the comments from the past week" and "understand[s] the concerns that have been raised." Vietnamese TikTok creator iamyenlikethemoney, who played a crucial role in drawing attention to the issue, confirmed the news, stating that Pho Holdings Ltd. had informed her of their decision to drop the trademark.
The controversy surrounding Pho Restaurant’s trademark on "pho" began earlier this month, after TikTok users discovered that the white-founded business had held the trademark since 2007. The chain even threatened legal action against at least one Vietnamese business for using the word in 2013. Social media outrage forced Pho Restaurant to back down at the time, but it still maintained its trademark on "pho" until now.
iamyenlikethemoney, whose video on the topic has garnered over 2.7 million views, believes that community effort led to the successful outcome. "This was a community effort," she said in her latest TikTok post. "I truly believe in the power of community. Every single comment, every single video that was produced on this matter has helped us in reaching the goal of dropping the trademark of ‘pho’."
The resolution of this issue marks a significant victory for Vietnamese businesses in the UK and highlights the impact of social media activism. As iamyenlikethemoney aptly put it, "We did it. I hope they learn from their mistakes."
