Sony Fires Up Trademark Case Against ‘Breaking Bud’ Beer

Sony Pictures Television Inc. has sued a Sacramento-area microbrewery over its “Breaking Bud” India Pale Ale.

The Knee Deep Brewing beer’s label features a logo modified from the logo of the acclaimed Sony-owned television series “Breaking Bad,” as well as a scene reminiscent of the show’s setting of an illegal methamphetamine lab in the New Mexico desert.

The microbrewery explosion has resulted in the marketing of numerous new beers every year, each requiring a distinctive name and imagery. Microbrewers commonly find themselves in trademark disputes over names, logos, or other marketing features that reference cultural touchstones.

The “logo design and ...