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Alcohol brand Mast-Jägermeister took GearLaunch to court earlier this week, accusing the online retailer of “blatant and wilful violations” of Jägermeister’s trademarks.
California-based GearLaunch has been making counterfeit clothing “prominently emblazoned with identical, indistinguishable, and confusingly similar imitations” of the marks, according to the lawsuit, filed at the US District Court for the Southern District of New York on Wednesday, July 11.
Jägermeister’s most famous marks include a stylised brand name and its “stag deer head” logo.
The alcohol brand claimed that GearLaunch has “trampled” its trademark rights and that it’s “quickly losing the value of its trademarks, its brand identity, and control over its goodwill and reputation”.
It said that GearLaunch and its founder Thatcher Spring “knowingly provide their clients with a ready-made platform for widespread trademark infringement and counterfeiting, and their infringing and counterfeit products have been offered or are offered for sale on dozens of websites owned or controlled by, or affiliated with, defendants GearLaunch and Spring”.
Jägermeister added that GearLaunch has faced multiple lawsuits over the past two years—in September 2016, motorcycle manufacturer Harley-Davidson sued the online retailer.
In April last year, Northwestern University, Duke University and the University of California were among 25 US educational institutions to sue the online retailer for trademark infringement.
Jägermeister doesn’t seem impressed with GearLaunch’s response to its “numerous” cease-and-desist demands, either.
“In light of the foregoing, it is clear that, despite plaintiff’s numerous notifications of its rights in and to the Jägermeister marks and demands to cease and desist their infringing activities, defendants have continued and will continue to market … and sell infringing products,” it said.
Jägermeister is seeking injunctive relief, an order to recall the infringing goods, and damages.
Mast-Jägermeister, apparel, clothing, trademark infringement, counterfeits, anticounterfeiting, GearLaunch
