Particle.news
Download on the App Store

Yoko Ono Orders Breton Brewery to Pull ‘John Lemon’ Beer Over Trademark

The estate registered the name to stop puns on John Lennon's image.

Overview

  • L'Imprimerie brewery in Bannalec, which received a cease-and-desist from Yoko Ono's lawyers Thursday, must withdraw its lemon beer branded “John Lemon.”
  • After negotiations, the lawyers granted a sell-through until July 1 to clear 5,000 bottles still in stock.
  • Manager Aurélien Picard said he feared daily fines if he kept selling the beer and has spent €1,000 on legal fees.
  • The brewery has proposed renaming the drink “Jaune Lemon” and is waiting for the lawyers’ reply.
  • The label showed a cartoon of John Lennon with lemon-slice glasses, and the estate says it registered “John Lemon” to prevent such uses.