Prime drinks company sued in trademark case by US Olympic committee

The US Olympic and Paralympic Committee is suing Logan Paul and KSI’s Prime energy drinks brand, accusing it of trademark infringement.

It claims that Prime is using trademarked Olympic phrases and symbols on a special edition of its hydration drink featuring basketball star and three-time Olympic gold medallist Kevin Durant.

The committee said it does not have an agreement with Prime for the use of its terminology and trademarks, and said its actions had been “deliberate” and “in bad faith”.

The BBC has contacted Prime for comment.

The committee filed the lawsuit in Colorado on Friday, and also accused Prime of using the trademarks in internet campaigns and promotions.

The lawsuit, seen by the BBC’s partner CBS News, said that consumers could be misled into thinking there is an agreement between the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee and Prime.

The organisation said it had issued a cease and desist letter to Prime, but the drinks brand had continued to market the product, using the branding.

Criticism has previously been levelled at the company due to it being marketed at a younger audience, with some schools in the UK issuing warnings or choosing to ban it.

While the company’s energy drink contains caffeine, it also sells a drink marketed for “hydration”, which is caffeine-free.

Earlier this month, US Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer called for an investigation into the brand due to the high caffeine content of its energy drink.

Responding to this, Prime has said that it complies with regulatory requirements in the countries it operates in.

Prime founders Logan Paul and KSI have over 40 million YouTube followers between them.

Prime was released in the UK with much hype in 2022 – resulting in some shops limiting the number of bottles which could be sold per customer. It has collaborated with some of the biggest sporting stars and teams in the world including Arsenal and the LA Dodgers.