The Other 'F Word': Brewer Responds To Starbucks Over Beer Name
In general, getting a cease-and-desist letter from a big corporation isn't the mark of a good day. But after a brewery owner got a letter from a law firm representing Starbucks, he saw a chance to draw distinctions between the businesses — and to be funny.
The coffee company's bone of contention, Missouri brewer Jeff Britton was told in a Dec. 9 letter from a law firm that guards Starbucks' trademarks, was the use of the name "Frappicino" to describe a stout served at Exit 6 Brewery, a brewpub in a tidy strip mall in Cottleville, northwest of St. Louis.
The name too closely resembled Starbucks' Frappuccino, Britton was told in a letter from Anessa Owen Kramer, an attorney at a law firm that protects Starbucks' trademarks. The similar names might cause customers to "mistakenly believe that Exit 6 or this beer product is affiliated with or licensed by Starbucks Coffee Co., when they are not," Owen Kramer wrote.
Exit 6 was given 14 days to respond to the company's request to remove any sources of potential confusion with the Starbucks brand.
Britton took that time to frame a response in which he informs Starbucks of his efforts to comply, going so far as to cease using the word "Frappuccino." Instead, he uses "The F Word" in his letter, which is addressed to "Ms Owen Kramer" and cc'ed to "Mr Bucks."
"As you probably don't know, Exit 6 is the proud owner of no trademarks including our own name much less than the name 'F Word' and nothing about Exit 6 is incontestable," Britton wrote.
Exit 6 Starbucks letter