MetaX LLC takes legal action against Facebook for destroying their brand
What you need to know (in a nutshell)
- A company named META is suing Facebook for trademark infringement and unfair competition after Facebook rebranded as Meta.
- The owner of META, Justin Bolognino, claims that Facebook’s rebranding has “decimated” his business.
- Bolognino’s attorney has stated that despite attempts to negotiate with Facebook, they refused to come to the table, leaving META’s business at a disadvantage.
Full Article
META is suing Facebook for trademark breach and unfair competition following rebranding as “Meta”.
Justin Bolognino, the owner of MetaX LLC, is taking legal action against Facebook for trademark and competition infringement. CNBC reports this rebranding as ‘Meta Platforms’.
Bolognino lamented, “Facebook’s theft of our Meta brand destroyed us - something I’d not wish on my worst enemy.”
Bolognino’s business providing virtual and augmented reality experiences for events like Coachella was halted when Facebook announced its rebrand, as their goals are ‘drastically identical’. He had been running it for 12 years prior o Facebook’s monumental name change.
Dyan Finguerra-DuCharme, a partner at Pryor Cashman LLP representing Bolognino, informed Meta Platforms of their infringement on her client’s intellectual property rights.
She told CNBC that the “arrogance” of large firms disregarding smaller players who had existed before them is called ‘reverse confusion’.
Finguerra-DuCharme reported two companies negotiating for eight months, yet Meta declined to attend meetings despite supplying thousands of pages of data. This has led customers mistakenly believe services came from Facebook, hindering her client’s attempts at marketing and promotion.
Bolognino demanded to be compensated for the 12 years they spent creating a brand so attractive it was coveted by one of Earth’s largest tech companies, Facebook.