FFW in Burger King victory over Rouse

IP boutique Rouse & Co has lost Burger King as a client but hired one of the fast food chain’s trademark attorneys.

Field Fisher Waterhouse (FFW) ousted Rouse after a competitive tender for the role of coordinating Burger King’s UK and community trademark portfolio. Meanwhile, Rouse has recruited Sonja Bailey from Burger King as a trainee in its Oxford office.

Rouse’s European head Jeremy Newman said: “Out of a little disappointment we’re very pleased to attract one of the fairly key people in the Burger King team.”

FFW’s trademark and brand protection head John Olsen won the work, which will see his team managing Burger King’s portfolio of 5,000 trademarks.

“Burger King will use all of its agencies and law firms on a regular basis and, following the pitch process, Field Fisher Waterhouse were better placed to meet our needs,” said Roz Goldstein, the legal director for Burger King UK and Eire.

This is the latest in a series of client wins for Olsen’s group. FFW has recently started working for Twentieth Century Fox and Capital One Services.

Trademarks have been key to Burger King’s corporate strategy. It has an innovative approach to exploiting its IP – for example, it was the first company to use comparative advertising.