My Little Pony Sued

Toymaker Hasbro is being sued by a fonts company over allegations it used a typeface to market its My Little Pony products without permission.

09:56 28 January 2016

Font Brothers is suing Hasbro, which products include My Little Pony, for using a typeface on its toy packaging and related services without permission. 

 

The company is seeking damages of $150,000 (£104,820) per infringement.

 

Font Brothers have said that Hasbro failed to pay the appropriate licensing fee “despite several demands for such action.” The disputed typeface is called Generation B, described as “playful and offbeat” font inspired by the opening titles of 1961 Walt Disney film The Parent Trap.

 

Hasbro has yet to comment on the allegations.

 

Meanwhile, a lawyer said that such disputes were not unusual. Dai Davis, a lawyer who handled a similar case in the past, said: "More than 99% of all intellectual property cases are settled well before they ever end up in court," 

 

"Generally, they are less emotionally charged than 'who said what to whom' cases because they are more factually based - either someone has a unique typeface that has been taken and used, or not."