The energy drink world is abuzz once again, and this time it’s Prime’s turn in the hot seat. I have been following the growth of Prime by YouTube stars Logan Paul and KSI since its inception and I'm not surprised that they have found themselves in some legal issues.
It seems that the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee is taking them to court over trademark infringement. Allegedly, Prime thought it would be a good idea to put some Olympic symbols and phrases on a unique edition drink which features Kevin Durant.
What rookie’s move!
I think that Prime got into more than they can chew here. Using trademarked Olympic stuff without permission? That just asks for trouble.
The Olympic committee doesn’t seem to play around either- they assert that this was done “intentionally” by Prime in “bad faith.” Ouch. Sometimes I wonder if the marketing team at Prime figured they could get away with it because of their massive online followership.
What gets me is how Prime ignored a cease and desist letter. That's like poking a sleeping bear with a stick! C’mon guys, when you’re told by the Olympic committee to stop, you probably should pay heed to such advice. They’re not just another small-time organization you can dismiss so easily!
This whole thing reminds me of the other controversies that Prime has been involved in. They have been accused of marketing their products to kids, and there are even some schools in UK where sales of these drinks is prohibited. Also, remember Senator Chuck Schumer of the US demanding for an investigation into them about their caffeine content?
However, I cannot deny how successful prime is. They have had partnerships with top sports teams including Arsenal and LA Dodgers. The launch was so hyped up in UK that shops had to limit people on how many bottles each person can buy. That’s pretty impressive for a brand that initially belonged to a couple of YouTubers.
I don’t know how this legal battle with the Olympic committee will go. On one hand, Prime has demonstrated its ability to be extremely talked about and win all the time. Yet on the other hand, you cannot mess with Olympics and stay unharmed.
One sure thing – Prime knows how to keep people talking about them. It could be controversial marketing methods they employ or high profile court cases but these two YouTubers are always right at the centre stage. I should give it up for Logan Paul and KSI – they’ve truly managed to turn their YouTube fame around into making serious money.
