Action 2000 served with Bug writ

Action 2000, the DTI-sponsored advisory company set up to help businesses deal with the Millennium Bug, has been served a writ over the right to use its name and logo.

News of the legal proceedings against Action 2000 comes just one week after the company said it would take legal action against computer companies which use its name or logo as an endorsement (MW July 30).

The high court action brought by Citroen Wolf Communications claims it has a contract dated March 1998 – valid until December 31 2000 – allowing it the use of the official Action 2000 name and Millennium Bug logo for a handbook and CD-ROM entitled Management Solutions for the Millennium.

Citroen Wolf is claiming damages for breach of contract and injurious falsehood. It is also seeking an injunction to prevent Action 2000 from deterring companies or advertisers connected with its Management Solutions for the Millennium publication from honouring their contracts.

Action 2000 marketing director Niki Akhurst says neither the Millennium Bug logo – featuring a black bug in a yellow triangle – nor the old Action 2000 logo is trademarked. But a new Action 2000 logo, launched last month, is trademarked.

Akhurst claims the action being taken by Citroen Wolf concerns the old Action 2000 logo and the bug logo.

She says: “The change to a new logo was nothing to do with the legal action being brought against Action 2000.”