Energy drink startup, Brain Füd has been forced to rebrand and relaunch it's entire product range following a dispute with Red Bull over use of the slogan 'No Bull'. 

Brain Füd had recently launched using the message 'No Monsters. No Bull' on its packaging, website and social media posts. However, rival energy drink, Red Bull had already trade marked the term 'No Bull' and claimed Brain Füd were infringing this trade mark by making a 'direct reference' to its brand whilst appearing to market itself as a superior product.

In their defence, Brain Füd claimed that Red Bull had never actually used the term 'No Bull' on its own products or advertising. Indeed, solicitors acting for the brand's founder claimed that, if proven, this could have given the startup legal grounds to challenge the trade mark infringement.

This is not the first time Red Bull have defended use of the phrase “No Bull” by other companies. In 2012, Bullet energy drink was taken to task over the slogan 'No Bull in this can' and won for infringement of the company's trade marks 'Bullit' and 'Red Bull'.

Researching advertising endlines through AdSlogans can help reassure brands that a potential line is not in prior or current use, particularly by a competitor. Our searches also provide a basic trade mark search. A search of the AdSlogans database reveals widespread usage of the term 'No Bull' across many products and services including the Red Bull trade mark. Our website explains the Adslogans service further, including pricing: 

If a third party has been, or is, using a line for same/similar goods or servicesand has built up good will in that line, then there is a risk that by adoptinga same/similar line there might be public confusion which could enable theowner of the earlier line to bring an action for passing off. This could leadto an injunction being granted preventing the use of the later line, as well asdamages. Just as important are the PR embarrassment of being forced tore-brand, lost media space and related costs due to having to pull the campaignand the delay to sales caused by time needed for a further re-brand andre-launch.

AdSloganswas created to meet this risk by researching whether same or similar lines havebeen used in previous campaigns or associated with otherbrands.  Established in 1990, AdSlogans has built up a database ofover 500,000 straplines which is constantly updated.