Black Coffee sued over FAM youth academy
Black Coffee is being sued over the FAM youth academy.
This lawsuit is allegedly being brought by a Limpopo businessman over the use of the word “FAM” which is the name of his youth academy.
Recently, Black Coffee announced the name of his new project and businessman Matodzi Makananisa did not like that FAM academy reads a lot like his brand, FAME.
Matodzi Makananisa owns FAME Awards, FAM.E Charity Cup and FAME Creative School of the Arts. He is based in Limpopo and has successfully been running his business from there.
This entrepreneur has also hosted the FAME Charity Cup, which featured PSL and NFD teams including Kaizer Chiefs, Baroka FC, Magesi FC and Black Leopards.
READ: BLACK COFFEE LEGAL WRANGLE OVER SPORTS CAR AND COMMISSIONS
FAM and FAME too similar
Makananisa is under the impression that Black Coffee is attempting to usurp the FAME brand with FAM being used for the FAM Youth Academy.
By doing so, Makananisa believes that Black Coffee is trying to take what he has already painstakingly built up. He has also written to Black Coffee and has asked him to drop the use of the FAM name.
“I believe that Black Coffee is trying to kick me out of business with my own idea. I fear that Black Coffee’s actions are going to confuse people as that would mean that there would be similar schools with the same name, offering the same programmes. He said he won’t drop the name unless he is advised by his lawyers to do so. He said for now I must just forget it because he won’t do anything.
“He is being disrespectful to my brand and I have instructed my lawyers to go ahead with the legal action. I’m suing him. I’m now waiting for my lawyers to advise me on the amount,” said Makananisa.
For the FAME founder the FAM Youth Academy has already caused confusion for his business. Allegedly, potential partners from the US were getting confused by the similarity between his and the Black Coffee brand.
To us FAME means being ‘well known’ – as in ‘famous’ but FAM suggests ‘family,’ which would negate the FAM Youth Academy being the same as FAME Creative School of Arts.
But it’ll be up to the courts we guess…
Sourced
