Uncle Vanya’s Is the McDowell’s of Russia
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To replace the hole that was McDonald’s in Russia since the corporation left following the global sanctions put on the country following Putin’s decision to invade Ukraine, the parliament has installed Uncle Vanya’s.
A budding burger chain in Russia called “Uncle Vanya” is looking to grab business that has been left on the table by McDonald’s — revealing a logo that looks strikingly similar to the “Golden Arches.”
A March 12 trademark filing with the Russian government showed an image that closely resembles the McDonald’s logo turned on its side. The sketchy filing shows a Cyrillic letter “B,” which references the “V” in “Uncle Vanya,” cast in yellow against a red background.
“Trademark squatting has begun in Russia,” tweeted Josh Gerben, a prominent intellectual property attorney who was among those who flagged the filing.
The application appeared online after Russian officials indicated they remove patent protections for companies linked to countries deemed hostile to Russia — a response to crippling international sanctions and a mass exodus of Western companies in response to the Ukraine invasion.
McDonald’s representatives did not immediately return a request for comment.
Trademark squatting has begun in Russia.
On March 12th, a trademark application was filed for the McDonald’s logo with the words “Uncle Vanya.”
The Russian State Duma had earlier suggested that Russia would replace all McDonald’s with “Uncle Vanya’s.”
h/t @Oh_89 #McDonalds pic.twitter.com/JlUfkLK67J
— Josh Gerben (@JoshGerben) March 16, 2022
It’s like the McDowell’s of Russia.
“McDowell’s,” a spoof on McDonald’s, is the fictional quick-service restaurant located on Queens Boulevard from the popular movie franchise Coming to America.
In the original film, released in 1988, it is the place where main characters Akeem and Semmi (portrayed by Eddie Murphy and Arsenio Hall, respectively) become employed, and where Akeem meets his future wife.
