The coffee giant Starbucks is suing a Bangkok-based coffee stall for copying its logo for approximately US$ 9685.
Called “Starbung Coffee”, the logo’s font and green border, as well as its placement of a man in its center does take after the well-known coffee chain.
Starbucks is suing 43-year-old Damrong Maslae—who is also known as “Starbung”—and his brother, who have ignored a cease-and-desist letter from the US coffee chain.
The company went on to file a trademark violation complaint as well as a petition with the international trade and central intellectual property court, even calling for the brothers to be arrested.
However, Maslae refuses to change his logo, stating that his friend who designed it was inspired by his religion, Islam.
“My logo is halal and has a moon and a star, and is green for the colour of Islam. Starbucks has insisted I take out the green and the words star and coffee. I can't do that.”
He even states that customers—mostly tourists—have even praised his coffee as being better than that of Starbucks’.
What do you think—should this logo stay or go?
[via The Guardian and Food Beast]