BrewDog Elvis Juice, a grapefruit-infused IPA which launched in 2015, was hit with a lawsuit from the estate of rock legend Elvis Presley, alleging the beer infringed on its trademark and requested BrewDog to change the name.
In reaction, BrewDog’s co-founders James Watt and Martin Dickie changed their first names to Elvis by deed poll in 2016 to demonstrate the lack of exclusivity of the name Elvis.
After losing the trademark battle in 2017, BrewDog appealed and last Thursday, UKIPO reversed the decision. To celebrate, BrewDog offered a free schooner of Elvis Juice to anyone who visited one of its UK bars dressed as The King on February 3-4.
Sales of Elvis Juice exceeded £5.5m in 2017.
Watt said: “This is a victory for common sense. It’s a triumph for all underdogs battling against corporate inflexibility and entrenched hubris.
“It’s a win for the thousands of beer drinkers across the world that have been refreshed by amazing craft beer, and have so passionately supported us over the last three years.
“This is a vindication of our belief in freedom and our dogged decision to appeal the initial ruling, and not go gently into the night.”
