An Oregon-based glass-blower is in hot water after a bong made to resemble a Frappuccino cup caught the attention of Starbucks and its army of lawyers. Now the artist is on the hook for $400,000, while the website that sold the bongs is still tied up in legal proceedings.
According to Eater, the artist, James Landgraf, made a series of "Dabaccino" bongs in the style of Starbucks' classic plastic cup, complete with the company's signature bubble lid. The bongs also featured a mouthpiece that mimics Starbucks' green straw, and riffs on the company's logo by slapping a marijuana leaf crown on top of the Starbucks' siren's head.
To Starbucks, the Dabaccino looked like copyright and trademark infringement, and apparently the courts agreed.
"[The defendant] willfully intended to create an association with the Starbucks Marks and to capitalize upon the success and popularity of the Starbucks Marks to sell [their] products,” the coffe conglomerate argued in its suit, adding that Landgraf's actions had “caused and will continue to cause irreparable injury and damage to Starbucks Corp.’s business, reputation, and goodwill.”
Of course, it didn't help that Landgraf didn't show up his court date, single handedly reaffirming every stoner cliché in history. Naturally, the court ruled in Starbucks' favor and awarded the Seattle-based brand $410, 580 in damages. The website that sold the "Dabuccinos"—a company called Hitman Glass—aren't off the hook yet, either.
According to Eater, Landgraf and Hitman sold the pipes for a whopping $200 to $8,000 a piece. Still, coming up with more than 400 racks is no small task, and copycat glass-makers have already started to make "Dabuccino" rip-offs.
What ever happened to just rolling joints?
[via Eater]