“A Person Answers the Phone” – Sunna Is the Registered Trademark of December

“You’ve got to be a bit crazy to start a company,” says Þórir Harðarson, an embryologist and one of the founders of Sunna Fertility Clinic. He adds that it was probably fortunate he didn’t fully realize all the complexities involved in starting and running a business before embarking on the journey with Sunna.

Sunna is part of Evuhús, a newly established women’s health center located at Urðarhvarf 8 in Kópavogur — the large building in Elliðaárdalur that for years seemed destined to remain an unfinished monument to the financial crash. Today, however, it houses a variety of businesses, many of which operate in the healthcare sector. Sunna has been selected as the Icelandic Intellectual Property Office’s (ISIPO) Registered Trademark of the Month for December. We visited Urðarhvarf and sat down with Þórir to discuss the company and the trademark.

Leveraging Decades of Expertise in Fertility Services

Evuhús Women’s Health Center functions as an umbrella organization for two types of services: Edda Medical Practices and Sunna Fertility Clinic. Sunna was established about a year ago, and its principal owners are Þórir and his wife, Ingunn Jónsdóttir, an obstetrician and gynecologist. Both have extensive experience in fertility and women’s health services. Þórir holds a PhD in embryology from Sahlgrenska University Hospital in Gothenburg, while Ingunn has decades of experience in fertility treatments in both Iceland and Sweden.

Over the years, the couple increasingly felt compelled to use their expertise and knowledge to start their own business. Initially, the plan was to do it on their own, but by chance, they learned that Ósar hf. — a company that owns Icepharma and Parlogis, among others—was exploring opportunities in women’s health. Fortunately, this led to a partnership with Ósar, allowing Þórir and Ingunn to focus on their core strengths while Ósar handles support services like finances, human resources, and marketing.

Keeping Clients Informed Throughout the Entire Process

Edda houses the medical practices of three gynecologists, while Sunna employs eight fertility specialists. The clinic provides a full range of fertility services, including in vitro fertilization (IVF) and artificial insemination.

When asked whether it’s difficult to establish a name and brand in a field with both legal and ethical restrictions on advertising and marketing, Þórir admits that it’s challenging. He explains that this is a unique industry where it takes a long time to build goodwill and attract clients. From the very beginning, it’s essential to establish a distinct identity and earn trust.

Their focus is on delivering exceptional and personalized service, which was a central theme in their strategic planning work with Hvíta húsið advertising agency during the company’s formation. “For instance, we prefer to call our clients rather than sending emails, and at our office, a person always answers the phone,” Þórir says. “We also place great emphasis on keeping our clients well-informed throughout the entire process. This journey is one of the most significant in a person’s life, and people need to feel that we respect that.”

He adds that all marketing efforts must be carefully crafted to reflect the sensitive nature of the services provided. “We’re obviously not selling cars or hamburgers, so we must ensure our marketing aligns with the essence of our business. You won’t see our ads on billboards or the front page of a newspaper,” Þórir says. “Our approach focuses more on providing accurate information on our website, sharing positive testimonials, and using social media to inform. But above all, our marketing is rooted in delivering excellent service that generates positive word of mouth.”

Names Reflect Extensive Branding Efforts

Regarding the names Evuhús, Edda, and Sunna, Þórir explains that they are the result of extensive branding work with Hvíta húsið. Early on, it was decided that the names should convey a feminine image and inspire trust. Initially, about 100 different names were considered, but through various discussions and research, 4–5 names emerged as the strongest candidates. Some were discarded due to domain and trademark registration issues, leaving these three as the final choices—a result they are very pleased with.

The word and logo trademarks for Evuhús, Edda, and Sunna were designed by graphic designers Stefanía Þórisdóttir and Elín María Halldórsdóttir at Ósar. According to Þórir, the trademarks align with the company’s other marketing and informational materials. The designs are neutral yet possess a certain softness and uniqueness.

Aiming for the U.S. Market

The company is exploring trademark registration in international markets, as Þórir explains that they have their sights set beyond Iceland. “For example, fertility treatments could be very cost-effective for Americans if they sought our services. Even the savings on medication costs alone could cover the cost of traveling to Iceland,” he says.
The U.S. is a clear target market, as many Americans currently seek fertility treatments in Canada and Mexico. “A flight to Iceland takes about the same time as domestic flights in the U.S., so this is definitely a market we aim to enter. Registering the trademarks is one of the first steps in that direction,” Þórir says.

From Trademarks to Power Outlets

Sunna has only been operating for a few weeks, but Þórir says the company has exceeded expectations and that they’ve been pleasantly surprised by the goodwill they’ve encountered from everyone involved in starting the business, as well as from their clients.
He’s also been struck by the sheer number of small details that require attention when launching a new business — from trademark registration to deciding where to place electrical outlets in the kitchen. Judging by Sunna’s facilities in Urðarhvarf and the company’s website, it’s clear they’ve done an excellent job managing those details, which often make all the difference in the end.

Trademark V0135293 Registered December 15

The word and figurative trademark for Sunna was filed in July and officially registered on December 15 in classes 42 and 44 for health services, medication, fertility services, artificial insemination,  IVF and more terms. The word mark Sunna (V0133972) was registered in the same classes on June 15.

ISIPO Staff Selects the Registered Trademark of the Month

The Registered Trademark of the Month initiative is inspired by similar projects at other Nordic intellectual property offices. Its purpose is to highlight the importance of trademark registration and promote ISIPO’s work. ISIPO staff selects the Trademark of the Month from recently registered or renewed Icelandic trademarks that represent Icelandic products and/or services.
A good trademark is one that meets key intellectual property criteria: it must have clear distinctive features and strong differentiation. It cannot be descriptive or likely to cause confusion with other marks. And, importantly, it should also have an interesting backstory.