Messi’s Beverage Brand Files Lawsuit Against Logan Paul & KSI’s Prime Hydration for Alleged “Anti-Competitive” Practices

Mas+ by Messi, a beverage brand launched by soccer star Lionel Messi and distributed by Mark Anthony International, is taking legal action against Prime Hydration, accusing them of anti-competitive tactics in a recent lawsuit.

In June, Messi introduced his drink company, Mas+ by Messi, which offers a selection of four distinct flavors available in both bottles and cans.

Almost immediately, fans of Logan Paul and KSI highlighted the resemblance between Mas+ and Prime Hydration on social media platforms like X, alleging that the new brand is a “copy” of the popular sports drink.

On October 8, 2024, Mark Anthony International filed the lawsuit against Prime Hydration, requesting a declaratory judgment to clarify that Mas+ does not imitate the design of Prime’s packaging.

The complaint alleges that shortly after Mas+ launched, Prime reached out to its distributors, demanding they halt sales of Mas+ until official changes to the packaging were made. According to Mark Anthony, Prime has also issued threats regarding potential trademark and trade dress violation lawsuits.

The lawsuit contends that Prime’s actions aim not only to stifle fair competition but also to create a monopoly over standard packaging features commonly found in the hydration beverage market.

Additionally, Mark Anthony consulted with a “certified survey expert” to assess whether there was any possibility of consumer confusion between Prime and Mas+ by Messi.

The survey findings reportedly indicated no likelihood of confusion whatsoever between the two brands, reinforcing Mark Anthony’s stance that consumers can easily distinguish between them.

Mark Anthony Prime Hydration Lawsuit — VitalLaw

Mark Anthony’s filing outlines the notable distinctions in the packaging of both beverages and underscores how marketing efforts from figures like Logan, KSI, and Messi contribute to brand differentiation. Particularly, it points to Logan Paul’s public controversies as a factor that raises the profile of the Prime brand.

Examples of Paul’s controversies include his “vlog trivializing Japan’s Aokigahara forest” and his failure to successfully launch his crypto video game, CryptoZoo.

“Due to these controversies and other public antics, the public has a clear understanding of who Logan Paul is, allowing them to easily tell him and his business partners apart from Mr. Messi,” the lawsuit asserts.

This legal action comes just days after Logan Paul announced the dismissal of a widely publicized lawsuit regarding “forever chemicals” related to Prime Hydration, a case which had been ongoing for over a year before the judge’s ruling on October 2.

Source