Where Credit's Due: Budweiser Goes The Cool And Funny Route On Microbrewery's 'Dilly Dilly' Craft IPA
from the dilly-dilly dept
I like to give credit where credit is due. When it comes to the myriad posts we've written about Budweiser or its parent company Anheuser-Busch, the credit has mostly been to do with being intellectual property bullies and all around megalith caricatures. That said, the company's actions surrounding a recent case of actual trademark infringement show the company not to be without humor or grace when it actually tries.
Minneapolis brewery, Modist Brewery, recently unveiled a new double IPA it decided to call "Dilly Dilly." If that isn't ringing any bells, you must not have seen the series of kingly ads for Bud Light that I find funny, although I can't describe exactly why.
As part of the ad campaign, Budweiser trademarked the phrase "dilly, dilly", because of course they did. Whatever problems we might have with the practical application of trademark law in modern times, the phrase is creative, unique, and with the ad campaign it has become an identifier for the Bud Light brand. Modist Brewery even knew about the trademark. And it expected Bud Light to push back.
According to The Growler Magazine, the owners had an idea they would be getting a message from Bud Light after they found out “Dilly Dilly” had already been trademarked as a slogan.
“But then we said, ‘Screw it, let’s see what happens.’ And that’s what happens,” Kale Anderson told the magazine.
Yes, Budweiser did indeed respond...by sending an on-theme messenger to Modist Brewery.
In case you can't see the video, the "messenger" from Budwesider states the following.
“Hear ye, hear ye!” he began. “Dear friend of the crown, Modist Brewery Company, congratulations on the new brew: Dilly Dilly Mosaic Double IPA ...” the man read. “We are duly flattered by your royal tribute. However, ‘Dilly Dilly’ is the motto of our realm. So we humbly ask that you keep this to a limited edition one-time-only run. This is by order of the king. Disobedience shall be met with additional scrolls, then a formal warning, and finally, a private tour of the pit of misery.”
To make sure the disposition of the message was clear, the messenger goes on to gift two Super Bowl tickets to the brewery, as the game will be in Minnesota this year. Rather than being the bully, Budweiser added some humor to its request that the brewery, which knew about the trademark, simply not continue the run of the IPA under the infringing name past the limited run, and it managed to do so in an entertaining and congenial way. As far as cease and desists go, this is about as good as it gets.
And Budweiser is earning high praise in the press for all this, extending its branding message and bathing the Bud Light product in positive coverage. That's a pretty good look and a welcome departure for a company not known for being so human and accommodating.
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Filed Under: beer, budweiser, dilly dilly, humor, trademark
Companies: inbev, modist brewery
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Re: I'm "curious george" why after one use changed name to "mrtraver"...
Name change after first happens a lot, VERY curious pattern, please explain...
It's FUNNY "Timothy Geigner" aka "Dark Helmet", that are TWO odd accounts commenting on this dull topic. You just bring out these ODD accounts, doncha?
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Re: Re: I'm "curious george" why after one use changed name to "mrtraver"...
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Re: Re: I'm "curious george" why after one use changed name to "mrtraver"...
Nobody cares about this sort of shit but you. Die angry about it.
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This could be an awesome trend
I mean, it's not like there aren't plenty of out-of-work actors who are much, much cheaper than arbitrators/attorneys. This could save people real money, and I've gotta believe the success rate would be much, much higher than that of arbitration, right?
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Well played
They clearly send a message that while they are willing to look the other way for one 'tribute run' they will be less happy if it continues, doing so 'in character' and without going straight to the nuclear option.
As far as dealing with someone who apparently knew that they were treading on thin ice this is pretty ideal. They didn't go legal, they come across as having a sense of humor over the matter, yet they still accomplish their goal and draw more attention to their product/ad at the same time.
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Re: Well played
That was the point...
Bud has a billion dollar arsenal and this isn't just a shot in the arm of Modist, as they aren't going to be driven into extinction; sales will likely increase; Bud looks good, Modist is grateful, and prolly more thankful than the owners relay in their comments.
It made me smile. I had to comment.
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Personally I dislike the taste of beer.
I'd like to try that spiced honey-mead wine. I could really get into that (unless it results in the Pit of Misery).
Well played Budweiser. Well played. Dilly Dilly!
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Re:
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Small Kudos to the Bud legal team for this.
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Well, not quite...
Hmmm "identifier for the Bud Light brand" I can't comment on since I've never seen that ad ever (which, I guess would make "identifier for the Bud Light brand in the US" more accurate), but I'd dispute "unique" given the phrase appears in a C17 nursery rhyme. "Creative" looks a bit shaky too given its appearance in, for example, the 1985 Marillion song... I guess that just leaves the first bit, then.
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Re: Well, not quite...
It is both “unique” and “creative” within the world of alcohol (and the marketing thereof). Bud got the trademark first. Everyone else has to live with that.
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prior art
(song from some old Disney movie, i think)
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Re: prior art
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Re: prior art -- Zombie Alert! "Anton Sherwood" or "Tamfang" was dead 4 years!
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Re: Zombie Alert! "Anton Sherwood" or "Tamfang" was dead 4 years!
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Re: Re: prior art -- Zombie Alert! "Anton Sherwood" or "Tamfang" was dead 4 years!
Your garbage would still get flagged but at least it does newcomers a service by conveniently categorizing the exhibits of your stupidity.
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You mean its not ice cream!? It says Dilly I was in a hurry, I thought it was a Dilly Bar.
Lawyers Hate it!
You can protect your trademark & not be a flaming ass about it. You can allow them a "limited" run using the name & to take the sting out have some sportsball tickets. The public will talk about this and Dilly Dilly they might not find the microbrew but Bud Light will have some brain share.
This was a hell of a lot cheaper than 5 seconds of halftime advertising & clicked in many different "social" groupings outside of sportsball fans.
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Re:
:)
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I got two words for ya:
Prove it.
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Reminds me of that Velcro video
https://youtu.be/rRi8LptvFZY
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dilly dilly beer trademark
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Re: dilly dilly beer trademark
It's twice the Pickle powered flavour of Budweiser Prohibition Brew
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Re: dilly dilly beer trademark
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Re: Re: dilly dilly beer trademark
Yeah, pretty sure the furries would be a bit miffed by that…
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Re: Re: dilly dilly beer trademark
From the famous 70's TV star 'Skippy the bush kangaroo' who is different from the urbane city kangaroos.
For wombats, who eat shoots, roots & leaves.
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