Portman's set to back new Kalashnikov name

by John Harrington

Kalashnikov Vodka, which was controversially blacklisted by the Portman Group because of the name's association with violence, is to be renamed General Kalashnikov's Vodka after Portman and the vodka's makers came to an agreement this week.

Portman's Independent Com-plaints Panel (ICP) took the decision to blacklist Kalashnikov Vodka in February, on the grounds that most people would associate the name with the AK-47 assault rifle.

This decision angered owner Kalashnikov Joint Stock Vodka Company, which insisted the brand is named after a Russian hero and the bottles contain no imagery that suggests a link with violence.

At a meeting of Portman's Advisory Board on Thursday last week, both sides agreed to change the name of the product to General Kalashnikov's Vodka.

The new name is an attempt to put the emphasis on General Kalashnikov himself, who is chairman of the company and a hugely respected historical figure, rather than the gun.

Kalashnikov Joint Stock Vodka Company managing director John Florey said the company was planning to release the brand as General Kalashnikov's Vodka in September.

"We don't have a problem with that name at all. The product was always in honour of the general; it had his image all over it and this is right for the brand. It's a good decision all round."

Earlier this month ICP chairman Lord Paul Condon hinted that the panel might have originally accepted the brand if it had been called General Kalashnikov Vodka.

Portman's director of policy David Poley declined to comment on the decision of the group's Advisory Board on the grounds of confidentiality.

He said that the Advisory Board tried to predict the opinion of the ICP, but the board's decision was not binding on the ICP.