Marketplace featured a funny story about brands that parody trademarks. They feature names like “The North Butt” and “Lardashe.” It’s too bad that the companies can’t take a joke (or that the law won’t let them).
Winkelmann started The South Butt as a spoof of The North Face’s fleece jackets worn by so many kids at his private prep school. North Face however didn’t think the joke was that funny. They served Winkelmann with cease and desist papers as he left for the University of Missouri last fall. Ever since then, The South Butt has gotten the kind of publicity you just can’t buy.
via A knock-off takes on The North Face | Marketplace From American Public Media.
PS: Yes, I realize I tagged it “Copyright” and this pertains to trademark–at least they’re in the same family.