KMXT 100.1 FM Public Radio in Kodiak, Alaska
The “Discover Kodiak” slogan used by Quest Aircraft. via the web
Jay Barrett/KMXT
What you find when you type in “Discover Kodiak” into a web browser are links to the the Kodiak organization that promotes the island to visitors. And that’s the way the folks at the Kodiak Convention and Visitors Bureau – better known as Discover Kodiak – like it.
But in the last couple of weeks, people have been pointing out to them a new Kodiak discovery – an ad campaign by Quest Aircraft of Sand Point, Idaho, which uses the very same tag line to sell its lone product, the Kodiak aircraft.
Chastity McCarthy, Discover Kodiak’s executive director, said she didn’t think it was a “huge ordeal” that Quest was also using the phrase.
“But several people brought it to my attention and so it seemed like an issue to address,” McCarthy said. “I contacted their public relations department and a lady named Julie was very helpful, and basically just said, ‘We’re sorry, we didn’t mean to steal your tag line. We’ll change it.’”
McCarthy said the phrase is trademarked by the KICVB, and that the folks at Quest Aircraft will likely change their tag line to “Discover THE Kodiak” to differentiate from the Kodiak visitor industry champions.
And while some things get named Kodiak because of the brown bears, McCarthy said she was told the airplane makers were thinking of the island.
“And they actually named their airplane the Kodiak after Kodiak Island,” McCarthy said. “It turns out their organization comes up to Kodiak pretty often to check out the scenery, and the media lady Julie was like, ‘I’m the only one in the company who hasn’t been up there, and hopefully I get to come soon.”
McCarthy said Quest Aircraft will contact her once the board of directors has finalized the slogan change, expected in a couple weeks.
The Kodiak aircraft is a relatively new design. It is a 10-passenger single turboprop plane meant to serve the same roles as such aging craft as the de Haviland Beaver. Designed for bush flying on short and unimproved runways the Kodiak can also be used on floats.
