7 Locks Changes Name of “Surrender Dorothy” Beer Due to Legal Threats From Wizard of Oz Owners
Surrender Dorothy, a medium-bodied, copper colored Rye Pale Ale brewed by 7 Locks Brewery in Rockville, has been renamed simply “Surrender”. Turner Entertainment, which owns the rights to the “Wizard of Oz”, claimed that the use of the phrase could cause brand confusion.
The name of the beer was based on the graffiti that was found on the 495 bridge approaching the DC Temple several times over the past 50 years.
Back in January, 7 Locks released a special edition named “Surrender Donald”, to commemorate the recent graffiti ahead of Inauguration Day.
The twitter thread below from Christine Haight Farley, Professor of Law at American University, gives a detailed breakdown of the intellectual property dispute:
https://twitter.com/Prof_Farley/status/1418671426601725958
Short thread on the Wizard of Oz, the public domain, #beer & #trademarks.
A local brewery, @7LocksBrewing, had a beer called SURRENDER DOROTHY
1/ pic.twitter.com/4kGwXDuVY0— Christine Haight Farley (@Prof_Farley) July 23, 2021
'
