Sausage Companies Settle Sausage Fight Over Sausage Marketing

Two sausage companies have come to an agreement in their fight over who’s entitled to dub their bratwurst the “backyard brat.”

That’s according to Fox 11 News (h/t AP). You see, Klement Sausage trademarked the term “backyard brat” in 2009. So when Johnsonville Sausage started braying about their “backyard grilled brat,” well, that just wouldn’t do at all. Klement sued, and now the two companies have settled, and Johnsonville is henceforth verboten from getting anywhere near the phrase.

Don’t worry, though:

“Nothing in this paragraph shall prevent Johnsonville from using the term “backyard” to describe the taste, flavor, or characteristics of its products (e.g.,”Get that great backyard taste” or similar), provided that this sentence shall in no way authorize Johnsonville to use the word “backyard” in connection with its goods in any manner that features, draws specific attention to, conspicuously displays, or otherwise utilizes the word “backyard” in a manner consistent with trademark use.”