‘Hear ye, hear ye!’ Bud Light lawyers use town crier to deliver cease and desist letter to brewing rival

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By Thomas Connelly on

And he read from a calligraphy-covered scroll

Lawyers at the largest brewing company in United States called on the services of a town crier to deliver what will surely go down as one of the greatest cease and desist letters ever.

Anheuser-Busch, which owns Bud Light, sent a town crier with a calligraphy-covered scroll to the offices of Minnesota’s Modist Brewing Co, after the latter launched a new beer called “Dilly Dilly”. The phrase “Dilly Dilly” is a marketing slogan that features heavily in Bud Light’s popular US TV adverts, which are Medieval-themed.

And in keeping with the theme, Anheuser-Busch’s top legal minds used a town crier to broadcast its tongue-in-cheek threat in Modist’s reception. Footage of the stunt — which has chalked up 340,000 views so far — can be found embedded here:

Closer examination of the cease and desist transcript (embedded below) reveals Anheuser-Busch doesn’t mind Modist selling its current batch of stock, but asks it doesn’t flog future products under the “Dilly Dilly” name. Failure to comply “shall be met with additional scrolls, then with a formal warning and finally a private tour of the pit of misery”, apparently.

Legal Cheek understands that Modist intends to continue selling the Double IPA, but under the name “Coat Tails”.

Read the cease and desist transcript in full below:

“Dear friend of the crown, Modist Brewing Company, congratulations on the launch of your new brew, Dilly Dilly Mosaic Double IPA. Let it be known that we believe that any beer that is shared between friends is a fine beer indeed, and we are duly flattered by your loyal tribute.

However, ‘dilly dilly’ is the motto of our realm, so we humbly ask that you keep this to a limited edition, one-time only run. This is by order of the King, and disobedience shall be met with additional scrolls, then with a formal warning and finally a private tour of the pit of misery. Please send a raven, letter or electronic mail to let us know that you agree to this request.

Also, we will be in your fair citadel of Minneapolis for the Super Bowl and would love to offer two thrones to said game for two of your finest employees to watch the festivities and enjoy a few Bug Lights on us. Yours truthfully, Bud Light.”

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