Prime Hydration Files Lawsuit Against Messi’s Beverage Company Over Bottle Design Dispute

Logan Paul and KSI’s Prime Hydration brand have initiated a countersuit against Lionel Messi’s beverage company, Mas+ by Messi, alleging a breach of trademark regarding the bottle design. This development highlights an ongoing dispute in the hydration drink market.

Mas+ by Messi, introduced to consumers in June 2024, caught the attention of social media users who swiftly pointed out striking resemblances between its bottle and that of Prime Hydration. Those claims were soon substantiated by an October lawsuit from Mark Anthony International, the distributor for Messi’s product, which revealed that Prime Hydration had promptly asserted that Mas+ was infringing upon its trade dress—essentially the trademark protecting its unique bottle design.

In a strategic move, Messi’s drink company preemptively filed a lawsuit aimed at securing a declaratory judgment. This legal action seeks to confirm that Mas+ by Messi does not mimic the design elements of Logan Paul and KSI’s Prime Hydration.

Claims of Unfair Competition by Prime Hydration

On November 20, 2024, Prime Hydration responded with a countersuit directly targeting Mark Anthony International and Mas+ by Messi. The allegations state that the design of Messi’s drink bottle, alongside similarities in marketing taglines, constitutes a direct infringement on Prime’s trademark. Moreover, Prime asserts that these similarities foster unfair competition, as they potentially lead to consumer confusion between the two products.

A photo comparing Prime Hydration and Mas+ by Messi, highlighting design similarities — Image Credit: US District Court

The countersuit emphasizes, “Mark Anthony’s unauthorized use of the infringing trade dress is likely to cause consumer confusion, mistakes, or deception regarding the source and sponsorship of the parties’ products.” It continues to assert that consumers might mistakenly believe that Messi’s offerings are associated with Prime Hydration.

To bolster its claims of consumer confusion, Prime Hydration’s legal complaint includes numerous screenshots from Instagram, where fans have erroneously identified Mas+ by Messi as Prime Hydration, attesting to the mix-up.

Screenshots of Instagram posts where fans confused Mas+ and Prime Hydration — Image Credit: US District Court

In light of these claims, Prime Hydration is seeking various remedies, including a mandate for Mark Anthony International to redesign the bottles and adjust the branding. Additionally, they have requested compensation for damages resulting from the alleged trademark infringement, alongside any profits generated from the sales of the current Mas+ by Messi bottles.

This legal wrangle is emblematic of a broader trend within the beverage industry, as Prime Hydration faces multiple lawsuits. Notably, just days prior, the company was litigated against by a separate hydration brand, accusing Prime X’s design of violating their design trademarks.

To read further about this ongoing legal saga, visit the detailed report here.