Sony Pictures is taking on California’s Knee Deep Brewing Company over the name of one of its IPAs: Breaking Bud.
The “Breaking Bud” beer is one of Knee Deep’s best-selling brews and earned a bronze medal at the 2016 Great American Beer Festival. The beer was introduced in 2015 and portrays a man in a hazmat suit on its label, as well as oil cans full of hops and a logo with periodic table icons similar to what was used in Breaking Bad’s title sequence, The Sacramento Bee reports.
“Simply put, rather than investing the time, effort and resources necessary to establish their own reputation and identity, Defendants have instead opted to hijack the famous brand identity associated with SPT and its BREAKING BAD show for Defendants’ own intended benefit,” reads the studio’s official complaint. “Defendants’ unauthorized use of SPT’s trademarks and design elements threatens to erode the value of SPT’s BREAKING BAD Marks by undermining SPT’s continuing ability to attract licensees for such marks and secure compensation for the right to associate one’s products with the BREAKING BAD show.”
Sony is suing Knee Deep for trademark infringement, face designation of origin, and unfair competition and is seeking monetary damages as well as an injunction to prevent the brewery from using the “Breaking Bud” name and its current logo going forward.