Name Controversy
The drink is named after Semtex – a popular plastic explosive also invented and produced in the Czech Republic by Explosia a.s., a subsidiary of Synthesia. According to Pinelli's director Kvetoslav Srovnal, the name inspired "a feeling of activity and motion". In late 1994, Pinelli applied for a trademark to gain exclusive use of the Semtex name for food and drinks, after which Synthesia applied for a universal trademark for the name with regard to all products – prior to this the company only owned the Semtex trademark for the explosives sector. Synthesia subsequently sued Pinelli for copyright infringement, and a company spokesman claimed that it was "unfair competition", and that an important reason for Pinelli's success was due to the use of the Semtex name. Pinelli had offered to donate a percentage of the drink's profits to a charity of Synthesia's choice, but Synthesia ultimately refused before filing the lawsuit. Srovnal dismissed the refusal of the offer as a "typical socialist management tactic".
In 2002, the two companies decided to settle financially and Pinelli were issued with a licence to use the Semtex name on their drinks products. After splitting from Synthesia, Explosia later threatened to sue Madonna for the use of the Semtex name in her film production company Semtex Girls, but later relented.
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