On January 12, 2015, Lagunitas Brewing Company filed a complaint against Sierra Nevada for trademark infringement. Contrary to popular belief, Lagunitas is not claiming that it owns the rights to use the IPA abbreviation for “India Pale Ale.” Instead, Lagunitas is taking issue as to how the Sierra Nevada IPA logo looks. Lagunitas states in the complaint:
“The unique “IPA” lettering used in the Lagunitas “IPA” Family of Trademarks has a distinctive serif font, distinctive kerning (or letter spacing), between the “P” and the “A”, slightly aged or weathered look, with uneven areas on each of the letters, and the elimination of any periods between the letters. These elements together are unique to the iconic design of the Lagunitas IPA. The overall effect of these factors (the all-capital, large, bold, black serif lettering style, and the placement with respect to other wording and design elements) creates a unique, iconic design that is associated with and signifies Lagunitas and its associated reputation for excellence in the craft brew industry and among consumers.”
Lagunitas is concerned about consumer confusion between the two labels. The United States Patent and Trademark Office (“USPTO”) typically blocks trademark registrations that show there would be a likelihood of confusion with another registered mark. The USPTO looks at a number of factors, including the actual similarities between the marks and the types of goods or services associated with the marks.
A look at both logos side by side is shown above. It’ll be interesting to see how this all plays out and if Sierra Nevada launches its Hop Hunter beer without changing its logo. A statement in response to the complaint by Sierra Nevada can be seen here.
UPDATE: After intense social media backlash, Lagunitas dropped the suit on January 14.
