The owner of the Original Penguin apparel brand filed a lawsuit Wednesday against the Pudgy Penguins NFT brand for alleged trademark infringement.
‘Unauthorised’ Penguin Usage?
Perry Ellis International argued that Pudgy Penguins continued to produce retail goods even after receiving a cease-and-desist order in October 2023, The Block reported, citing a federal court filing. PEI asserted that this has “diluted” the value of its Penguin brand, which was established in 1955.
The complaint said that Pudgy Penguins’ “unauthorized” use of the Penguin word and design marks could “mislead” consumers into believing that they are connected to PEI.
Meanwhile, Pudgy Penguins took a jab at PEI using a popular “The Office” meme. The NFT brand didn’t return a request for an official comment.