For the past eleven years Jayne Powell has been working as a freelance wine journalist and educator under the name Champagne Jayne. During that time she has built up a business and an international reputation as an independent expert, commentator and journalist with no ties with the Champagne industry. Jayne provides insights into Champagne to public and business audiences in the UK and Australia in an engaging and entertaining way.
Champagne Jayne has appeared regularly on TV and in print and has had media exposure in France, the UAE, Mexico and countries in between. Jayne’s activities, including her media appearances, master classes, tastings and tours have always promoted the enjoyment and appreciation of Champagne as the ultimate sparkling wine experience.
In building her Champagne Jayne brand, Jayne has been assisted by senior contacts within the Comité Interprofessionnel du Vin de Champagne (CIVC), who have supported her regular visits to the Champagne region of France by organising meetings with key industry personnel. In 2012 Champagne Jayne was awarded the title of Champagne Educator of the Year by the prestigious Harpers Magazine. In September 2012 Champagne Jayne was awarded Champagne Dame status by L’Ordre des Coteaux de Champagne, which plays an active role in programs set up by the CIVC.
In a remarkable twist, in November 2012, the CIVC, the French body responsible for representing, protecting and promoting the Champagne industry, launched legal proceedings against Jayne in the Australian Federal Court opposing her use of the trademark Champagne Jayne.
Furthermore in December 2013 the same CIVC filed additional legal proceedings against Jayne in the Australian Federal Court alleging that she has engaged in misleading or deceptive conduct and therefore requested that the court order her to:-
- cancel her registered business name ‘Champagne Jayne’.
- withdraw her Australian trademark application for ‘Champagne Jayne’.
- withdraw or cancel the domain name champagnejayne.com.
- withdraw or cancel her Facebook fan page account ‘CHAMPAGNEJAYNE’.
- withdraw or cancel her Twitter account ‘Jayne Powell@champagne.
- destroy all material marked with the name ‘Champagne Jayne’, including brochures, pamphlets and other goods which are in possession, power, custody or control of the Respondent.
- damages, costs, and interest.
The CIVC claims that Jayne has deceived her clients by making reference to sparkling wines that are not Champagne in her presentations and on social media. It has accused her of promoting non-Champagne wines under the name of Champagne Jayne and thus damaging the Champagne brand.
As a Champagne educator, Champagne Jayne sometimes refers to other sparkling wines to enable her audiences to compare and contrast their characteristics with those of Champagne. By referring to other sparkling wines Jayne is teaching her audiences to read the labels on wine bottles and appreciate the special place of Champagne in the world of sparkling wines.
Champagne is Jayne’s passion, livelihood and only source of income. As a result of the disgraceful bullying tactics of the CIVC, Champagne Jayne is being forced into bankruptcy. Jayne is being driven out of business by a powerful, global organisation with an abundance of funding and an expensive team of lawyers.
Jayne has fought tirelessly and desperately to defend her livelihood but is not able to continue her fight without further assistance. Champagne Jayne’s supporters have rallied together to create a fundraising campaign that will help pay her legal costs so that she can defend herself against this outrageous behaviour of the CIVC.
It is very important not only for Jayne to be able to continue with this fight but also for other independent creative professionals to stand up, show their strength, and not allow large global corporations with deep financial pockets to drive out and destroy the businesses and lives of hard working individuals.
You can show your support for this very important cause by donating to the fundraising campaign organised for Champagne Jayne by her supporters.
The campaign can be found at: www.gofundme.com/jaynevgoliath
