The Logan Paul and KSI-founded company Prime Hydration filed a countersuit against Messi's Mas+, accusing the latter of trademark infringement. The claim was filed on Wednesday. Messi announced his hydration drink in June, created by Mark Anthony Brands International.
However, the internet, as well as KSI, were quick to point out the eerie similarities in the shape, sizing, and sleeve design between the two drinks. That same month, he took to X to post the following:
"Looks familiar…"
Logan Paul speaks out on Messi's brand suing Prime Hydration
The latest move in the case follows an October lawsuit, which sought to have a judge issue a declaratory judgment that the Argentinian footballer's drink is not the same as KSI and Logan Paul's.
However, Prime retorted, also alleging that Mas+ by Messi would foster unnecessary confusion and competition. As reported by Dexerto, a filing reads:
"Mark Anthony’s unauthorized use of the Infringing Trade Dress, including as a trade dress, is likely to cause consumer confusion, mistake, or deception as to the source, origin, or sponsorship of the parties’ respective goods. The trade and consuming public are likely to believe, and do believe, Mark Anthony’s goods are provided, sponsored, approved, endorsed, licensed by, or in collaboration with Prime Hydration.”
To back their statements up, the suit attached several screenshots of fans sharing Mas+ by Messi on Instagram, and instead mistakenly tagging Prime Hydration. Prime Hydration is calling on Messi's drink to eradicate all such similarities by changing the bottle's design and tagline, refraining from infringing on the trademarks and offering restitution in the form of damages and profits earned from all the sales made thus far.
Notably, just this October, Paul and KSI sat down for the former's podcast, ImPaulsive. They reflected on how they felt about the initial lawsuit brought forth that same month. KSI launched a tirade:
"Make sure you punch up to someone that you know you can like battle with."
"like Messi!!", said Paul in response.
"Who is someone as loud for f***** suing us, for copying us! How is that possible?"
Paul went on:
"I get the text... 'Messi's drink Mas+ suing Prime Hydration... did he copy? I was like... dude how is that possible?"
When his co-host probed about the company signing a non-competitive, Paul responded:
"I'll explain it to you. He is asking for.. I think it's called like a rush judgement... He is asking the courts to determine as soon as possible whether or not he is indeed infringing on our trademark. Now we have not officially accused him of infringing on our trademark, there have been conversations I can't speak much on... but they ultimately decided that instead of reaching a resolution behind the scenes, they'd rather just bring it to the court and say, 'here Judge, you decide if we are indeed copying product!"
On October 8, Mark Anthony International filed the lawsuit in the Southern District of New York, noting “anticompetitive efforts to monopolize functional design features that are commonplace in the hydration beverage industry.”
Reportedly, Prime Hydration issued a cease-and-desist letter to the latter, asserting that their arguments were null and void because of the similar hues both bottles used for their sleeves.