Back in 2014, Great Harvest Bread Company trademarked what it thought was a neat slogan: “Bread. The Way it Ought to Be.” So when fellow baked goods peddler Panera Bread introduced its slogan, “Food as it should be” in 2015, that hit a little too close to home for Great Harvest.
Great Harvest is alleging federal trademark infringement for Panera Bread’s advertising slogan, which could cause consumer confusion, the company says in a new lawsuit it filed on behalf of its 200 owner-operated stores, reports the Associated Press.
According to the complaint, Panera launched its campaign in June 2015, just eight months after Great Harvest trademarked its mantra in October 2014.
Great Harvest says Panera’s campaign intentionally causes confusion.
“We need to protect the investment being made by our individual small business owners from being drowned out or overrun by a multi-million dollar national advertising campaign,” Great Harvest president Eric Keshin said in a statement.
The company said it asked Panera to stop ads and promotions using the phrase, but that didn’t pan out. Panera has since sought a trademark for its phrase, which Great Harvest has formally opposed.
Great Harvest Bread sues Panera over trademark [Associated Press]
by Mary Beth Quirk via Consumerist
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