beer
BrewDog founders change names to Elvis over legal action
James Watt and Martin Dickie have both changed their names to Elvis in a bid to illustrate the late musician's estate does not have ownership rights over the name.
The move comes as the brewery faces legal action from the American musician’s estate against BrewDog’s grapefruit & blood orange IPA, Elvis Juice.
The brewery said it was a 'baseless litigation' and it was named as a 'celebration of amazing beer, not tending to the egos of late celebrities'.
Watt and Dickie claim to have now taken the name Elvis by deed poll as a result of the legal action.
In what it dubbed a "misdirected assault", BrewDog is now also offering a free half pint of Elvis Juice IPA to anyone called Elvis this weekend in its bars.
Dickie said: “We would like to recommend that Presley’s estate diverts its attention to another potential source of quick remuneration: a brewery that calls itself ‘The King’ of beer.”
It's not the first time the brewery has come into conflict with other brands. Earlier this year, Wolverhampton Wanderers threatened legal action over the similarity between BrewDog's Lone Wolf spirits brand and the logo used by the football club.
Elvis Juice was launched earlier this year with a 'Grapefruit Pay' stunt where if customers brought grapefruits into venues they received a free half pint of the IPA. The grapefruits were then used to make new batches of the beer.
