The Inspired Unemployed Win Court Battle Over Beer Design

The men behind The Inspired Unemployed have won a court battle over their hugely successful beer brand Better Beer.

The pair were taken to court after another beer brand claimed they had stolen their bran design.

The Inspired Unemployed duo Matt Ford and Jack Steele launched Better Beer in collaboration with Torquay Beverage Company and Mighty Craft in October of 2021.

Ford and Steele each hold a 20 percent share in the company which specialises in zero carb beer.

Only months after the beer was launched, another beer brand lodged legal proceedings against the duo in the Federal Court of Australia claiming they had ripped off their design.

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Brick Lane Brewing were behind the legal action which was lodged in December of 2021, with the brand’s stakeholders including Dan Carter, Billy Slater, Eddie McGuire and Mick Molloy.

Brick Lane Brewing claimed Better Beer “made false, misleading or deceptive representations” which could see consumers believe that Brick Lane’s Sindwinder Hazy Pale and Better Beer were related.

Brick Lane claimed that the designs are allegedly similar enough for consumers to assume the beers were from the same brand with the company seeking out corrective advertising as well as damages.

Justice Angus Stewart dismissed the case in Federal Court on Wednesday saying that despite Brick Lane launching their beer first, their claim that Better Beer ripped-off their design ultimately “fails”.

Ford and Steele have since issued a statement saying the outcome is a “win for common sense”.

“Justice Stewart has confirmed our position today that this was an embarrassing case to bring before the Federal Court of Australia,” they said.

“While our adversary is ‘spewing’ that we’ve been so successful, both in court and in the marketplace, it has long known that both products were developed and launched almost simultaneously.”

The duo said they plan to chase up Brick Lane for compensation of legal costs after the brand’s efforts to “claim a monopoly” on the off-white background and with stripes failed.

“We will pursue our entitlement to seek costs from Brick Lane,” they said.

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