World Nutella Day saved after Ferrero caves

World Nutella Day has been saved after the owner of the chocolate spread revoked its ‘cease and desist’ order against the creator of the unofficial site.

World Nutella Day

The World Nutella Day site, setup by an Italian-based US blogger Sara Rosso, had been threatened with closure in a letter sent by lawyers representing Nutella owner Ferrero SpA.

However, writing on the site, Rosso says she was “relieved to say” there has been a “positive resolution to the situation”.

She adds: “Ferrero employees reached out to me directly after I had posted my fan letter online and sent my formal reply to their cease and desist. They were very gracious and supportive and we were able to have a productive discussion about World Nutella Day living on for the fans, which is the whole point.

“I believe they were truly interested in resolving the situation in a way that preserved the spirit of the fan-run holiday. I’m satisfied with the turn of events, and I hope to celebrate many more World Nutella Days with you.”

The site to mark World Nutella Day celebrations – which take place every 5 February -started in 2007. It has since racked up almost 40,000 Facebook fan, 7,000 Twitter followers and it plays a part in a year-round website which promotes Nutella with recipes and fan stories.

The resolution will be welcomed by fans and social media experts, which yesterday (21 May) slammed the move as “counter intuitive” and warned it could make previous advocates of the brand turn away to competitors.

Ferrero says in a statement the matter was just a misunderstanding. “We would like to express to Sara Rosso its sincere gratitude for her passion for Nutella, gratitude which is extended to all fans of the World Nutella Day. The case arose from a routine brand defense procedure that was activated as a result of some misuse of the Nutella brand on the fan page.”

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