SARATOGA SPRINGS — Death Wish Coffee, a Saratoga-based business, filed a trademark infringement lawsuit in federal court in California earlier this month against Liquid Death, a popular water brand that may launch a new line of coffee products.
The problem, in Death Wish’s eyes, is that Liquid Death’s coffee products may confuse customers due to the two brands’ similar death-inspired aesthetics and names.
“The Infringing Coffee Products will confuse consumers, infringe the DEATH WISH Marks, and irreparably harm Death Wish and its valuable brand,” the complaint reads. “The Infringing Coffee Products will duplicate the dominant element of Death Wish’s registered trademarks – i.e., DEATH. They will likely appear in the same retailers and side-by-side with Death Wish’s products in stores, where Death Wish sells both ready-to-drink canned coffee as well as other coffee beans and coffee products. And they will share similar consumer bases and advertising, distribution, and marketing channels. Liquid Death is well aware of Death Wish’s established trademark rights in the coffee market, but plans to launch the Infringing Coffee Products anyway. In short, this is a dead-to-rights case of willful trademark infringement.”…