PepsiCo company sues Coca-Cola over Powerade advertising

by Noel Bussey, campaignlive.co.uk 14-Apr-09, 09:40

NEW YORK - Stokely-Van Camp, the PepsiCo-owned company that manufactures Gatorade, is suing Coca-Cola in a trademark lawsuit over its Powerade ION4 sports drink advertising.

The lawsuit, which was filed by Stokely-Van Camp at the US District Court in Manhattan, alleges that the Powerade advertising touts the ION4 drink as "the complete sports drink" while claiming that Gatorade is "missing two electrolytes".

The lawsuit also accuses Coca-Cola of false advertising, trademark dilution, deceptive acts and practices, injury to business reputation and unfair competition.

Stokely-Van Camp, which secured the rights to produce Gatorade in 1967, was acquired by Quaker Oats in 1983, which became part of PepsiCo when the two companies merged in 2001.