The name “Snaks Fifth Avenchew” is an obvious parody of world-famous upscale store Saks Fifth Avenue, but lawyers for Saks aren’t laughing, recently telling the animal snack company to stop using its punny name.
The organic dog and horse treat store received a cease and desist order from the real Saks Fifth Avenue demanding the new business change its name because it infringes on the luxury department store’s brand, Reuters reports.
But Snaks’ owner, a 32-year-old from New Jersey, says she’s sticking with the moniker and continuing to churn out snacks for man’s best friend.
Much like the department store, Snaks fifth Avenchew caters to high-end customers – just of the furry kind.
The shop, which launched in April, offers a line of supplement- and vitamin-enhanced treats made from hypoallergenic ingredients. The snacks, which come packaged as human foods like cupcakes, are specifically designed to contend with allergies suffered by animals.
The owner tells Reuters that using the parody name was her way of paying the department store praise.
“I knew that Saks was able to offer me the best of what I was looking for, and I wanted to do the same thing with pets,” she says. “It was almost as if I was honoring and complimenting what they always gave to me, but unfortunately they don’t feel the same way.”
So far, the woman hasn’t heard back from Saks representatives about whether they would pursue legal action against her for continuing to use the name. Reuters reports that the law firm representing Saks declined to comment on the issue.
It’s not unheard of for well-known brand names to go after small businesses using parody versions of their brands. Last year, a federal appeals court sided against Starbucks in its efforts to stop a small New Hampshire coffee roaster from selling its Charbucks blend. The coffee colossus had more luck convincing a Missouri brewpub to stop selling a beer it alleged infringed on the company’s Frappuccino trademark.
Saks Fifth Avenue barks legal threat at dog treat company [Reuters]