Granted that the name is easily enough adapted for adult humor, but 7-Eleven doesn't think there's anything funny about an adult Website calling itself Dick Slurpee. The convenience store king has sued the site for infringing the trademark of its famous soft drink, Bloomberg.com reported September 3.
Filed in federal court in Chicago, the lawsuit reportedly claims the site owner as Apmbill.com, a Las Vegas company whose Website touts it as a global billing solutions provider. The Dick Slurpee home page features a header logo that doesn't resemble the style of the 7-Eleven drink, but the lawsuit argues the site's use of the Slurpee name "is greatly and irreparably damaging," according to Bloomberg.
The Slurpee debuted in a 7-Eleven store in 1965, and the popular half-frozen, half-carbonated drink became available in all 7-Eleven stores within two years. This summer, new flavors included Mountain Dew Live Wire, Crystal Light Pineapple Orange, SoBe Energy, Sprite Remix, Banana Split, Memphis Melon, Hawaiian Punch, and Diet Pepsi.
On the same day they filed against Dick Slurpee, 7-Eleven announced a deal with the Beanstalk Group, a worldwide licensing agency, naming Beanstalk the exclusive licensor for the Slurpee brand.
