procedural guides

Grumpy Cat – Still Grumpy but $710,000 Richer

Grumpy Cat is back, this time with cash – enough for more than a lifetime supply of cat food, cat condos, and cat toys. A jury awarded the jaded feline’s owner, Tabatha Bundese, with a whopping $710,000 over an intellectual property dispute.

The unanticipated success of Grumpy Cat’s image and famously dour memes allowed Ms. Bundese to quit her job as a waitress and form a company, Grumpy Cat Limited – which led to a lucrative series of television appearances, a line of merchandise, and licensing deal with Grenade, company poised to sell “Grumpy Cat Grumppuccinos,” iced coffee.

But Grenade switched the campaign without consent to “Grumpy Cat Roasted Coffee” and benefitted from unauthorized sales of Grumppuccino t-shirts featuring the cat’s image. That’s when the fur began to fly. Grumpy Cat filed suit only to be countersued and even made an appearance at her trial, attorney in tow.

“Grumpy Cat feels vindicated and feels the jury reached a just verdict,” reports her attorney, David Jonelis.

To read the full article, visit The Washington Post.