Mod Selection Suing for Mistreatment Over Its Drake Partnership
Alleging a retailer purposely tarnished its reputation by liquidating stock.
According to reports, Mod Selection, a champagne brand launched by alcohol entrepreneur Brent Hocking and Drake, is now suing two large liquor retailers for attempting to ruin its name. Filed in Los Angeles federal court, Mod Selection notes that Total Wine & More and Blicker Pierce Wagner Wine Merchants collaborated with former distributor Southern Glazer to kill its brand to benefit competitors.
The lawsuit claims false advertising, trademark infringements, civil conspiracy and other counts of unfair practices in a “predetermined plan to kill the Mod Selection Champagnes brand by dumping the product at brand-damaging discounted prices in the U.S. and abroad.”
Filings note that during the recent holidays, ex-distributor Southern Glazer offered Mod Selection Reserve (MSRP $300 USD and Mod Selection Rose (MSRP $400 USD) at discounted rates to benefit competitors LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton and Armand de Brignac. Despite being a French import, the two lines of premium alcohol were sold at budget outlets Total Wine & More and Blicker Pierce Wagner Wine Merchants for as low as $49 USD per bottle.
Noting that the sales “severely damaged the cachet and selling power” of Mod Selection, the brand of champaign says that Miami-based Southern Glazer breached agreements by failing to make “required upfront investments,” use “reasonable efforts” to market and sell the brand, amongst other contractual terms. Revealing how the distributor motivated by “racial bigotry” marketed the brand as a “black” or “rapper’s” champagne in a move of racial insensitivity.
Although Drake is not named in the lawsuit and will not be involved in proceedings, lawyers for Mod reveal that they have texts from the Canadian artist regarding the mistreatment by Southern Glazer.
Mod Selection’s lawsuit also claims that the success of its brand “depended on not only a premium quality product, but also premium pricing and sale through premium, high-end outlets.”
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