Mattel Inc, the owner of word famous doll Barbie, has filed a claim for trade mark infringement against Rap Snacks over their Nicki Minaj themed crisps.
The crisps, sold in the US, are called “Barbie-Que Honey Truffle” which is a reference to Minaj’s ‘Barbie’ persona. Rap Snacks have released products in collaboration which a number of rap stars, including Snoop Dog.
Mattel claim that the use of the word ‘Barbie’ creates a false association and can lead to customer confusion. The claim states that no permission was provided to use the word ‘Barbie’ and such was never requested.
The claim requests an injunction to block sales and also a claim for damages which also includes a request for profits.
It will be interesting to see how this one unfolds, so grab your snacks and keep your eye on the Trademarkroom blog.