Tequila 512 is suing Kendall Jenner’s 818 Tequila lawsuit for trademark infringement, false appellation of origin and unfair competition, alleging that the brand copied its logo and color scheme.
In its lawsuit filed Wednesday in US District Court in Central California, Tequila 512 accused K & Soda LLC, which owns 818 Tequila, of “simply and blatantly” copying its trademark.
The lawsuit says that Tequila 512, whose brand was founded in 2015, uses “an instantly recognizable 512 mark by black lettering within a vertical yellow rectangle.” The Tequila 818, which launched last year with Jenner as the face of the company, has been accused of using the same brand with “non-material modifications.”
The lawsuit also points to similarities between the company’s numbered brand names and their references to a “prominent area code.” 512 Tequila nodded to Austin, Texas, where the company is headquartered, while 818 Tequila points to Los Angeles.
The lawsuit says the branding is very similar, so instead of the 818 Tequila, the image of the 512 Tequila was used in May for in-game purchases in Kim Kardashian: Hollywood’s mobile game. The lawsuit alleges that 818 Tequila either intentionally used a false image to “blur the lines between the two products” or that the brand was so similar that the company was “confused about the difference between the two brands.”
A representative for 818 Tequila dismissed the allegations in a statement to TMZ.
“We are reviewing the complaint and believe the allegations are unfounded,” the statement said.
Jenner and Kardashian have not been named as defendants.
Representatives for 818 tequila could not be reached for comment on Thursday. The company rejected the allegations in a statement TMZ.
“We are reviewing the complaint and believe the allegations are unfounded,” the statement said.
Tequila 512 CEO and Chairman Nick Matzorkis has called on 818 Tequila to “clearly differentiate themselves” from his company’s products in statment To KEYE-TV in Austin.
“It’s more than just lost sales, it’s about the long-term dilution of our distinctive premium brand identity that they decided to emulate,” he told the station.
Jenner has been heavily criticized for being associated with 818 tequila before. When the product was launched last year, it was Criticize She was accused of appropriating Mexican culture in promotional photos showing her on horseback in agave fields.
Others pointed out that Spanish is grammatically incorrect Over 818 tequila stickers.
Jenner later said on “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” that it was important to her that 818 Tequila was friendly to the community.
“In our distillery, which I was on that day, we found a way to take waste agave — agave fiber and waste water — and build this sustainable brick that we actually donate to the Jalisco community,” she said in September.
. “Friendly writer. Unapologetic student. Typical internetaholic. Social media ninja. Communicator. Music fanatic.”