Stone Brewing is suing MillerCoors over "Stone Light"

Discussion in 'Beer Releases' started by Todd, Feb 12, 2018.

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  1. Todd

    Todd Founder (13,518) Aug 23, 1996 Finland
    STAFF Mod Team Society Pooh-Bah

    As a follow-up to this thread, Stone Brewing is suing MillerCoors over "Stone Light" and is urging them to "put the Key back in Keystone."



    Stone Brewing Sues MillerCoors for Deceptive Use of the STONE® Brand

    ESCONDIDO, CA (February 12, 2018) – Today Stone Brewing filed suit to defend its iconic STONE® brand against one of the world’s largest beer conglomerates, MillerCoors. Stone, known for being the antithesis to “Big Beer,” has long waved a flag of bold character, individualism and independence. The suit alleges that MillerCoors is trying to rebrand its Colorado Rockies-themed “Keystone” beer as “STONE.” The craft beer pioneer feels that it has no choice but to combat MillerCoors’ aggressive marketing moves, which abandon Keystone’s own heritage by falsely associating with the one true STONE®.



    “Keystone’s rebranding is no accident,” said Dominic Engels, Stone Brewing CEO. “MillerCoors tried to register our name years ago and was rejected. Now its marketing team is making 30-pack boxes stacked high with nothing but the word ‘STONE’ visible. Same for Keystone’s social media, which almost uniformly has dropped the ‘Key.’ We will not stand for this kind of overtly and aggressively deceptive advertising. Frankly, MillerCoor should be ashamed.”

    The Complaint alleges federal and state causes of action for unfair competition, trademark infringement and related claims. “For two decades our team and our fans together have given depth and meaning to the Stone brand,” expressed Greg Koch, Stone Brewing executive chairman & co-founder. “Our fans have come to trust us to deliver consistently fresh, high quality beer. They trust that we’ll do so in a way that’s ethical and betters our communities, our planet and the entirety of craft beer. By deliberately creating confusion in the marketplace, MillerCoors is threatening not only our legacy, but the ability for beer drinkers everywhere to make informed purchasing decisions.”

    Never one to miss an opportunity to poke fun at Big Beer and its consumers, Koch added with a laugh “We all know Keystone is specifically designed to be as inexpensive, flavorless and watery as possible. We can’t have potential Stone drinkers thinking we make a *shudder* light beer. Or for our fans to think we sold out. MillerCoors needs to stop marketing its stuff using our good name.”

    Twice named as the “All-time Top Brewery on Planet Earth” by BeerAdvocate magazine, Stone Brewing continues to gain devotees, solidifying its commitment never to sell out to Big Beer. Meanwhile, according to Nielsen, the beer industry’s Domestic Premium category dipped four percent in 2017, equating to a $12.5 billion loss. Says Greg Koch, “No wonder MillerCoors is trying to misappropriate what it could not otherwise accomplish by itself.”

    Stone Brewing is represented in the lawsuit by Noah Hagey, Rebecca Horton and Toby Rowe of San Francisco litigation boutique BraunHagey & Borden LLP.


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    #1 Todd, Feb 12, 2018
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  2. herrburgess

    herrburgess Grand Pooh-Bah (3,077) Nov 4, 2009 South Carolina
    Pooh-Bah

    The word "KEY" is right under his fingers, though, right?
     
    #2 herrburgess, Feb 12, 2018
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  3. raynmoon

    raynmoon Initiate (0) Aug 13, 2011 Colorado

    Good move, if you own the name you have to protect it, or else you'll lose it.
     
    #3 raynmoon, Feb 12, 2018
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  4. lateralusbeer

    lateralusbeer Savant (1,222) Feb 7, 2010 North Carolina
    Trader

    The marketing seems to be the much more eggregious issue here..."grab some Stones" etc.
     
    #4 lateralusbeer, Feb 12, 2018
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  5. raynmoon

    raynmoon Initiate (0) Aug 13, 2011 Colorado

    Right. But I think what he means more that their advertising move is pushing ONLY the word "stone" and slowly separating the two: keystone, key and stone, etc.
     
    #5 raynmoon, Feb 12, 2018
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  6. ypsifly

    ypsifly Initiate (0) Sep 22, 2004 Michigan

    He said they aren't doing it for publicity, yet there was a buildup to today's announcement that started last week. They could have quietly filed a motion to cease and desist. Going about it this way is marketing, no other way to call it.
     
    #6 ypsifly, Feb 12, 2018
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  7. Kraz

    Kraz Pundit (784) Feb 12, 2018 Indiana
    Society Trader

    Well, power to them. I'm not a lawyer so I don't know their odds but it seems like what you should do, fight for your name.

    What I was curious about during all of this was is there a correlation between sales and this STONE marketing campaign?
     
    #7 Kraz, Feb 12, 2018
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  8. emannths

    emannths Initiate (0) Sep 21, 2007 Massachusetts

    Eh, MC's own images are just as bad:
    [​IMG]

    Still, a trademark dispute is a pretty weak way to "thrown down the hammer."
     
    #8 emannths, Feb 12, 2018
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  9. chrisjws

    chrisjws Grand Pooh-Bah (3,302) Dec 3, 2014 California
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    Based on my layman understanding of branding and trademarks that sure looks like they have a valid case. Emphasizing the word stone on the label could definitely be argued as brand dilution if they aren't judged to be direct competitors. This isn't arguing over a word like IPA or ale, it's a company name. Whole Foods changed Mission Creek Brewery to Floodcraft over a mere cease and desist from Mission Brewery, so don't be shocked if this doesn't even go to the courts.
     
    #9 chrisjws, Feb 12, 2018
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  10. Hoppedelic

    Hoppedelic Savant (1,065) Dec 6, 2010 California
    Trader

    They're separating the words to highlight Stone. Their marketing is trying to rebrand Keystone as Stone. Stone is doing the right thing here.
     
    #10 Hoppedelic, Feb 12, 2018
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  11. Crim122

    Crim122 Initiate (0) Aug 4, 2014 North Carolina

    I feel like they wouldn't have done this if they didn't have a case. God Speed, Greg.
     
    #11 Crim122, Feb 12, 2018
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  12. herrburgess

    herrburgess Grand Pooh-Bah (3,077) Nov 4, 2009 South Carolina
    Pooh-Bah

    Agree that they probably have a decent case based on how such things have gone in the past. (Shrug)
     
    #12 herrburgess, Feb 12, 2018
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  13. Snowcrash000

    Snowcrash000 Grand High Pooh-Bah (6,041) Oct 4, 2017 Germany
    Mod Team Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    Honestly, this seems like a pretty frivolous attention-grab to me, pretty disappointing after all the buildup of "dropping the hammer" :rolling_eyes:.
     
    #13 Snowcrash000, Feb 12, 2018
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  14. steveh

    steveh Grand Pooh-Bah (4,174) Oct 8, 2003 Illinois
    Society Pooh-Bah

    You really gonna pick up a 30 pack of KeyStone Light mistaking it for Arrogant Bastard? :grin:

    I guess that in this day and age you really need to watch your tail, but isn't this sort of demeaning their customer base? "Honey, I got the Enjoy By... oh crap, this is KEYStone, not Stone! Damn Miller-Coors!" :rolling_eyes:
     
    #14 steveh, Feb 12, 2018
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  15. lateralusbeer

    lateralusbeer Savant (1,222) Feb 7, 2010 North Carolina
    Trader

    Keep in mind how few beer drinkers pay attention to our degree. If I asked my wife to grab me some Stone beer at the store...am I 100% convinced she wouldn't be thrown off by "Grab some Stones!" marketing? Nope.
     
    #15 lateralusbeer, Feb 12, 2018
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  16. i_run_far

    i_run_far Initiate (0) Aug 11, 2016 District of Columbia

    Stone is doing the right thing by defending their name but this comes off as a marketing tactic more than anything else and a real turn off for me.
     
    #16 i_run_far, Feb 12, 2018
    Last edited: Feb 12, 2018
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  17. IPAExpert69

    IPAExpert69 Savant (1,065) Aug 2, 2017 Pennsylvania

    PUBLICITY STUNT, and it's a shame really. Stone makes some fantastic beers, and as a consumer the idea of anyone mistaking keystone light for a Stone Brewing product is honestly laughable.
     
    #17 IPAExpert69, Feb 12, 2018
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  18. Leebo

    Leebo Initiate (0) Feb 7, 2013 Massachusetts

    Wait, I thought was Keith, stone.
     
    #18 Leebo, Feb 12, 2018
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  19. steveh

    steveh Grand Pooh-Bah (4,174) Oct 8, 2003 Illinois
    Society Pooh-Bah

    You seriously wouldn't verify the beer you're asking someone to buy for you? You seriously don't think your wife doesn't know you'd never ask for a 30 pack of Keystone?

    Glad my wife knows I like good beer. :grin:
     
    #19 steveh, Feb 12, 2018
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  20. MNAle

    MNAle Initiate (0) Sep 6, 2011 Minnesota

    He has to defend his mark.

    He doesn't have to conduct a big social media publicity campaign.
     
    #20 MNAle, Feb 12, 2018
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