Stanley Black and Decker Sues Stanley Mug Maker Over Name Dispute
A legal battle is brewing over the name “Stanley.” Connecticut-based Stanley Black and Decker is suing Pacific Market International (PMI)—the company behind the wildly popular Stanley drinkware—for allegedly misusing the brand name.
According to the lawsuit, filed this week, PMI violated a 2012 agreement that outlined when and how it could use the “Stanley” name. Stanley Black and Decker, which sells a variety of products like tools, hardware, clothing, gloves, footwear, and bags, argues that PMI has overstepped its boundaries.
The issue became more serious last year when millions of Stanley mugs were recalled. The lawsuit claims that because of the shared name, customers might have mistakenly thought the defective products were connected to Stanley Black and Decker.
Now, the New Britain-based company is seeking damages and demanding that PMI clarify the distinction between the two brands.
“PMI has willfully and intentionally ignored the carefully crafted restrictions of the parties’ agreement, choosing instead to use Stanley broadly, including in ways that the parties’ agreement expressly prohibited and that infringe on Stanley’s trademark rights,” the lawsuit states.
Stanley Black and Decker further claims that PMI “breached [their] agreement and infringed Stanley’s rights in order to seize upon an opportunity to expand and rebrand its product offerings.”
