WWE star and social media influencer Logan Paul is diving headfirst into yet another controversy, this time involving his drink company, Prime Hydration. The New York Times reports that the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC) has slapped Prime with a lawsuit, alleging unauthorized use of official Olympic terms like “Olympic,” “Going for Gold,” and “Team USA.”
The Prime flavor in hot water is one endorsed by Olympic Gold Medalist Kevin Durant, who apparently thought he could dunk on trademark laws as easily as on the court. The USOPC claims that using these Olympic terms on the drink’s label is a blatant case of trademark infringement. They’re demanding not just a sip, but the whole bottle of profits from this particular flavor, along with additional damages worth millions.
An attorney for the Olympic Committee had a stern chat with Prime’s reps earlier this month, essentially saying, “Hey, cut it out and pull these drinks from the shelves.” But the lawsuit alleges that Prime Hydration decided to keep the party going, continuing to ship the drinks and even flaunting them on social media.
Why is the USOPC so bent out of shape over some electrolyte-infused water? It all boils down to their golden deal with Coca-Cola, which paid a pretty penny for exclusive rights to use Olympic branding. Prime’s rogue branding shenanigans not only threaten this lucrative partnership but also the potential for future Olympic branding deals.
Prime Hydration, co-founded in 2022 by Logan Paul and fellow YouTuber KSI, has been no stranger to controversy. Critics have pointed out its high caffeine levels, which seem to target kids, and there have been whispers of dangerous chemical substances, known as PFAS, lurking in the bottles.
In other words, this lawsuit is just another splash in Prime’s already murky pool of problems.