NEWARK (CN) - An architect applied for a trademark that's a blatant rip-off of Dos Equis beer's "Most Interesting Man in the World" campaign, the beer company claims in court.
Cervezas Cuauhtemoc Moctezuma sued KCI Inc. and its president Jeffrey Klein, in Federal Court.
The Mexican beer company makes Dos Equis, Tecate, Carta Blanca, Superior, and other popular brands of beer.
Its Dos Equis multimedia campaign is based on the supposed "Most Interesting Man in the World," who says at the end, "I don't always drink beer but when I do, I prefer Dos Equis. Stay thirsty, my friends."
The company has trademarked the phrases "Stay thirsty, my friends," and "The Most Interesting Man in the World," it says in the lawsuit.
The defendant then had the brass to create an ad campaign featuring defendant Klein as "The Most Interesting SAN Architect in the World."
The defendants' ads end with the words, "I don't always use third party companies when I buy and maintain SAN equipment but when I do it's always Team KCI ... Stay convergent my friend." (Ellipsis in complaint.)
To add insult to injury, the defendants in June this year applied for trademarks on "The Most Interesting SAN Architect in the World" and "I don't always use third party companies when I buy and maintain SAN equipment but when I do it's always Team KCI ... Stay convergent my friend," the beer company says in its complaint.
It claims KCI posted its video ad on its own website and circulated it to consumers, that it has been posted on YouTube and has popped up on other sites.
Basta, y ya! Cervezas Cuauhtemoc says. (Enough, already.)
It demands an injunction and seeks damages for trademark infringement, copyright infringement, unfair competition and violation of character rights.
It is represented by Charles Weiss with Holland Knight, in New York City.
The complaint does not explain what a SAN architect is.
Moctezuma and his son Cuauhtemoc (the Falling Eagle) were the last emperors of the Aztecs.
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