Tag: TrademarkLaw
Trademark dispute – Katy Perry vs Katie Perry
Katy is a hugely successful American pop star. Her fame carried her to extraterrestrial heights and even extended briefly into outer space for an unforgettable 10 minutes and 21 seconds. Beyond her music career, she has established a suite of companies to safeguard her various commercial ventures. Killer Queen, LLC serves as the vehicle through which she protects and manages her intellectual property rights.
A spicy trade dress dispute – TABASCO® meets Vodka
What do vodka and pepper sauce have in common? Surprisingly, their packaging. In January 2026, the McIlhenny Company filed a lawsuit in a Texas federal court. It targeted Stoli Group (USA) LLC. The claim alleges that Stoli’s new “Halapeño Pepper” vodka infringes on TABASCO® pepper sauce trade dress. This marks the start of a spicy trade dress dispute.
Luxury dupes – IP law, influencers and SARS
The South African media have recently reported growing concern within SARS about the online promotion of so-called “luxury dupes”. Dupes are short for “duplicates” and represent products that mimic well-known luxury brands and are often promoted on TikTok, Instagram and other social platforms, but at a fraction of the price.
