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A group lobbying against aerial 1080 poison drops has been forced to give up a slogan that tourism bosses say is infringing on their global brand.
Karameans Advocating Kahurangi Action (Kaka) has been threatened with legal action over slogans such as "1080% Pure - Yeah Right!", featured on
its website and stickers to draw attention to the impact of the poison on the environment.
Tourism New Zealand, which paid a "considerable amount" for rights to its "100% Pure" brand promoting New Zealand overseas, got wind of Kaka's campaign and took action.
In a letter from Tourism New Zealand's lawyers, Kensington Swan, the community group's spin was described as "detrimental to the distinctive character and repute of the 100% Pure mark".
Kaka was asked to remove the slogan from its websites, to stop distributing anything with the slogan on it and not to use it in any form in future.
"Our client would prefer not to have to take legal action against you," the letter states.
"However, in the absence of receipt of the above undertakings ... our client has advised that they will instruct us to take any necessary legal action, including seeking an injunction."
Tourism New Zealand spokeswoman Cas Carter defended the strongly worded approach, saying 100% Pure was an award-winning brand well-recognised overseas.
"And it's important for us to maintain the integrity of that brand.
"It happens periodically with different organisations and we make them aware of the copyright issue."
Kaka, a group of like-minded individuals with limited funds, got its own legal advice and decided it should meet the demands of Tourism New Zealand. "We have been asked to stop using a derivation of Tourism New Zealand's brand ... because of the potential damage it may do to the nation's reputation overseas, and of course we will," said Kaka spokesman Paul Murray.
"But we would also ask that those behind the indiscriminate aerial poison baiting of wilderness areas also stop their environmental vandalism for exactly the same reason - they're killing the integrity of New Zealand's clean and green position in the world's psyche."
Mr Murray said tourists he hosted in Karamea, at the top of the South Island's West Coast, were concerned to see poison drops occurring in popular walking areas.
The 1080 debate has heated up recently with claims of assault, the deliberate poisoning of a dog, and letters containing 1080 pellets being mailed to politicians and government agencies.