Notoriety or Reputation: Implications for the Choice of Products with Potential Geographical Indication

Abstract

The definition of geographical indication (GI) often involves the use of the two concepts: reputation and notoriety. However, both terms are used inconsistently and interchangeably, even though they have different implications and are measured in different ways. Notoriety refers to the knowledge that each individual has about the brand, product or company, while reputation describes a value judgment about a given product. The confusion over both terms may lead to sub-optimal product choices. Attiéké, an Ivorian dish that the national government is seeking protected status for, was analysed to determine the most suitable variety that could be put forward for a GI registration. We investigated 403 consumers in order to find attiéké varieties with the best profiles with regard to notoriety, reputation or both. The results revealed that attiéké varieties with high reputation have also demonstrated high notoriety. In contrast, when we listed the attiéké varieties, the rank based on notoriety was different or even opposed from that based on reputation. The analysis of both concepts can therefore help to identify potential GI products depending on the purpose.