Laughing Buddha, a Seattle-based craft microbrewery, has resolved a trademark dispute with an Australian brewer that packages beer in Buddha-shaped bottles. To resolve the dispute, Laughing Buddha Brewing Company will operate as Trade Route Brewing Company starting April 1, 2009.2. That news item came from the Washington Beer Blog, of which I just learned. Looks like a good one, so be sure to check it out. I'll put it in the blogroll.
Smouha Fabrics, owner of Lucky Drink Company of Australia, sent a letter to the Seattle microbrewery in May 2008 objecting the use of Laughing Buddha’s name, citing US trademark registrations for their Buddha-bottle design and the name “Lucky Buddha.”
Monday, February 23, 2009
Two Items of Interest
1. Get your limited edition Laughing Buddha bottles while they're still available, because the brewery has had to change its name:
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
This is almost as bad as Willamette Brewing (now Oakshire) having to change their name because Willamette Valley Vineyards™ somehow trademarked a geographical designator taken from a Native American word (good thing they didn't have the trademark). What's to stop Rogue from trademarking Oregon now that they brew its official Sesquicentenial beer?
ReplyDeleteSeriously?! "Laughing Buddha" infringes on "Lucky Buddha?" "Willamette Brewing" infringes on "Willamette Valley Vineyards?" What a crock…
-anónimo