(Newswire.net — December 13, 2014) — MONTPELIER, Vt. (AP) — US Patent and Trademark Office had granted folk artist Bo Muller-Moore, an application to trademark “Eat more kale,” a phrase that promotes local agriculture.
A local farmer who grows vegetable asked his friend, folk artist Bo Muller-Moore, to make some T-shirts with catchy slogan. Moore came with idea to print, “eat more kale” slogan to a T-shirts. Soon he started producing bumper stickers for vehicles and promoting the concept of healthy food.
Giant food chain Chick-fil-A, however, didn’t like the idea because the corporation goes by deliberately misspelled “eat mor chikin”. Funny logo presented a cow that advises people to eat more chicken, out of obvious reasons.
Soon after Moore started to promote “eat more kale”, corporation’s lawyers threatened to sue Moore for using similar slogan, demanding that he pull back stickers and T-shirts “as people may confuse two trademarks,” said Chik–Fil-A officials.
Chick-fil-A cited 30 examples of others who had tried to use the “eat more” phrase and withdrew it after the company objected, however, Moore was not easily frightened by a corporations with serious capital.
“I’ve called Chick-fil-A’s bluff on their cease-and-desist demands,” Moore said, speaking to about two dozen supporters. “I am not ceasing and desisting. I am thriving, thanks to people like you and thanks to Vermont and people from beyond,” Moore said to a folks gathered to celebrate his victory.
Moore used social media and won the support of state officials and pro-bono lawyers, including law students from a legal clinic at the University of New Hampshire law school. He raised a campaign, which brought him overwhelming success. Muller-Moore was a shining example of Vermont’s independence and entrepreneurial spirit said Governor Shumlin on Friday wearing “eat more kale” sticker.
“This is more than just about a victory for ‘eat more kale,'” Shumlin said. “It’s a victory for grow local. It’s a victory for Vermont’s small food and farm agricultural renaissance, and it’s a victory for Vermont.”
Muller-Moore said governor’s persistence increased his business of selling T-shirts and props.
“Chick-fil-A did me a bit of a favor: They handed me lemons, and I made lemonade,” he said.
The business of selling T-shirts skyrocketed, however, Moor do not intend to quit his day job at the local bakery.