50 Cent‘s Sire Spirits brand and E. Rémy Martin & Co. have reached a settlement in Rémy Martin’s lawsuit over a copied bottled design. According to Billboard, the two companies reached a “confidential” settlement agreement on June 1 to drop the suit; details about payments or rebranding requirements have not been made public.
E. Rémy Martin & Co. sued Sire Spirits in 2021, claiming that the bottle design for the Sire cognac brand Branson had illegally imitated Rémy’s XO bottle, infringing on patent and trade dress rights. Sire’s response was to call the case “meritless” and accuse the legacy brand of trying to “destroy a competitor.” The Branson bottle was accused of being a deliberate effort to confuse consumers with its similar design.
However, US District Judge Alvin K. Hellerstein denied Sire’s motion to dismiss the lawsuit, saying, “This is not a case in which the claimed and accused designs are so plainly dissimilar that it is implausible that an ordinary observer would confuse them.”
A Rémy spokesperson told Billboard, “Rémy appreciates and respects Mr. Jackson’s entry into the Cognac market and the parties share a common vision for the future of this exceptional and precious spirit. The parties are gratified that this matter could be resolved amicably.”
Although a settlement might not be the outcome 50 Cent hoped for, he’s already been on a bit of a winning streak in court and probably didn’t want to push his luck — or pay out more legal fees. In February, he reached a settlement in his defamation lawsuit against The Shade Room, while in March, he won a lawsuit against a former employee who allegedly embezzled millions from Sire Spirits.