Michigan Cannabis Leader Undergoes Bold Rebrand After Tootsie Roll Trademark Clash
From Sweet Dispute to Fresh Identity: Michigan Cannabis Company’s Rebrand Journey
Summary
- Michigan’s Lions Labs has rebranded its sugar-coated edible, Potdots, as Potpots following a cease-and-desist from Tootsie Roll Industries.
- The iconic candy company alleged trademark infringement, citing the similarity between the names.
- Lions Labs expressed eagerness to move forward without conflict and thanked their customers for their support.
- This situation is not unique, as other major brands have also enforced their trademark rights in similar cases.
Lion Labs, a Lansing-based company, recently announced a significant rebranding of their popular THC-infused hard chocolate candies. Originally known as Potdots, the cannabis edibles will now bear the name Potpots. This change was prompted by a legal challenge from the makers of the iconic Tootsie Roll candy, who served Lion Labs with a cease-and-desist letter. Tootsie Roll Industries claimed that the name Potdots infringed upon the trademark of their Dots candies.
In a proactive move to steer clear of lengthy legal battles, Lion Labs decided to rebrand their product. “Although we stand by our belief that these claims are without basis, choosing to rename our product to Potpots seemed the prudent path forward to avoid entanglement with the nationwide candy corporation,” stated in a press release from Lion Labs.
Ryan Ratzloff, CEO of Lion Labs, expressed disappointment over the situation but confirmed that aside from the name change, the product’s composition will remain the same. “We’re poised to sidestep this dispute and are enthusiastic about the rebranding of our 1 milligram edibles to Potpots,” mentioned Ratzloff.
This incident is part of a broader trend where established snack and candy companies have taken legal action against cannabis companies for trademark infringement. Often, the cannabis firms opt to rebrand rather than face these giants in court. Following suit, Lion Labs has introduced the newly named Potpots with fresh packaging and an updated marketing strategy, aiming to move past the dispute with optimism and support from their loyal customer base.
Such trademark enforcement actions have not been unique to Lion Labs, as companies including Gorilla Glue Corp., the Girl Scouts of America, and The Hershey Co., among others, have similarly protected their brands in the burgeoning cannabis industry.
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