Playboy Sues Auckland Bar for Unauthorized Bunny Party

AUCKLAND, New Zealand—Playboy Enterprises International has big ears and when it heard that flyers around Auckland, websites and even a Facebook page were promoting an “official” Playboy party, those big ears perked up. The party, which has already taken place, was apparently anything but official. According to The New Zealand Herald, the internationally famous brand “has taken Bakehouse Entertainment Limited, which owns Osborne Street Bar in Newmarket, and promoter Lenium Beats Limited, to court for breaching its Playboy, Playmate and famous Rabbit Head trademarks.” The article indicates that the matter may settle out of court, but if it doesn’t Playboy is seeking “a court declaration that its trademarks were infringed… an injunction restraining the defendants from doing it again, destruction of all infringing material, an inquiry into damages suffered by Playboy, and for the defendants to pay for its court costs.” Tickets for the party were $15. It’s safe to say, however, that any profits realized from the evening are going to be erased by the lawsuit. It’s the price one pays for promoting a party as being “in association with Playboy,” when it wasn't.