Surfpolitik Kelly Slater a courthouse visitor

In: Surfpolitik by Stu Nettle 3 Comments Wed 28th Nov '12

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How do you say VSTR?

Is it a disemvoweled version of 'visitor'? Or is it an acronym for visiting, surfing, travelling, responsibility? Or maybe it's an acronym that gets pronounced as 'visitor'?

Bizarre questions, no doubt, but don't call them trivial. Kelly Slater, the 'founder and inspiration' of clothing brand VSTR, a subsidiary of Quiksilver, will have to answer those questions in front of a US judge when the Hawaiian competition season is finished.

A New York clothing and apparel maker, World Marketing, have owned the 'Visitor' trademark since 1998 and claim Slater's brand, which started selling in January this year, violates that trademark. In March World Marketing filed a cease-and-desist letter which Quiksilver countered in court saying there was no infringement. At the time Quiksilver said that VSTR is pronounced by saying each letter separately, rather than saying 'visitor.'

World Marketing is now countersuing and served a subpoena to Slater on November 14 to get him to testify. The 11-time world champ responded by saying he was too busy "preparing full-time" for the competition and the prospect of winning his 12th world title. He's expected to make his court appearance in January.

World Marketing Vice President Neil Mossberg told the New York Post, "I can't really talk about the case. However, I will say this: I know we are not as famous as Kelly Slater, and I know our stock is not traded like Quiksilver's. However, I also know we will not be wiped out without a fight."

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