Photo credit: MTV UK / CC of 3.0
50 Cent has agreed to settle its legal dispute with Rémy Martin over its Branson cognac bottle design, which the French cognac company claimed is a “blatant” copy of its own.
According to legal documents still sealed According to the public, the famous alcohol brand Rémy Martin has reached an agreement with the company 50 Cent on the design of the rapper’s cognac bottle. The two parties reportedly reached an agreement on June 1, but asked the court to keep the terms of that agreement secret.
The legal action began in August 2021 when Rémy Martin sued 50 Cent’s Sire Spirits, claiming that the rapper’s Branson cognac brand copied the company’s distinctive jewel-shaped glass bottle design. The cognac giant claimed the design was synonymous with its brand and that the Branson bottle could confuse consumers.
In February 2023, reports popped up that the two parties were on the verge of settling the legal dispute — although 50 Cent accused the French company of being jealous of its brand’s success in a now-deleted 2022 Instagram post.
“They’re already scared of me,” the 50 Cent post said. “Branson Cognac is the new wave. REMY is #2 behind Henny and worried about Branson,” he continued. “I’m just getting started.”
Lawyers for Sire claimed the design was “simply too simple” to register as a trademark and that “no brand or company has the right to exclude others from making or selling curved bottles for cognac or any other alcohol.”
“Nonetheless,” said Sire’s attorney Reena Jain, “Remy Martin is on a mission to oust Sire Spirits from the cognac market.”
50 Cent’s company filed a lawsuit counterclaim that Rémy Martin tried to throw him out in 2022, but the courts rejected the attempt, believing the rapper’s claims were sufficient.
“They know I didn’t adopt their bottle design,” 50 said at the time. “The big brands try to take smaller brands to court as they gain momentum to thwart them.”
Now Rémy Martin’s representative has told it TMZ that they are relieved that the trademark dispute has been settled:
“Rémy Martin appreciates and welcomes (50 Cent)’s entry into the cognac market and we share a common vision for the future of this exceptional spirit. We are pleased that this matter could be resolved amicably.”