DJ and Deadmau5 isn’t getting high off of a new vape brand with a similar name to his, and he is suing the company for trademark infringement.
Deadmau5, whose real name is Joel Zimmerman, filed a lawsuit through his wholly owned corporate entity Ronica Holding Limited against West Coast Vape Supply in federal court on Thursday, claiming that the name of its Deadmodz vape brand is too similar to his musical moniker.
“This case arises out of Defendants’ blatant attempts to exploit for their own commercial benefits the iconic ‘deadmau5’ (pronounced ‘dead mouse’) brand developed and cultivated by Ronica’s principal, the internationally-renowned and respected electronic dance music (‘EDM’) artist and producer, Joel Zimmerman, who uses “deadmau5″ as both his stage name and a trademark,” the suit states.
The vape brand’s name takes advantage of the artist’s 10-year career, in which he has “invested years and significant resources in developing, designing, promoting, and protecting his products, services, business, and brand throughout the United States, all under the deadmau5 marks,” the complaint continues.
“Defendants’ infringement of the ‘deadmau5’ marks is causing actual confusion in the marketplace,” claims the lawsuit, using the vape line’s strikingly similar logo as evidence.
“The deadmodz electronic cigarette line is trying to capitalize on Zimmerman’s fame, and according to the lawsuit the products “overlap with, are closely related to deadmau5’s Goods and Services and/or represent a natural zone of expansion for deadmau5, and such goods are or would be marketed and sold to the same types of consumers through the same channels of trade,” the complaint also states.
Zimmerman, a.k.a. Deadmau5, is represented by attorney Irene Y. Lee of Los Angeles law firm Russ August & Kabat.
Pamela Chelin contributed to this report.