Beeceuticals sues leading movie studios

Organic cosmetics firm Beeceuticals has filed a lawsuit against DreamWorks and Paramount over the use of the slogan 'give bees a chance' in the advertising for the recently released film Bee Movie, a press report says.

Beeceuticals, which began trading in March this year, claims it had already trademarked the marketing slogan for its skin care products made with organic honey, a report in the Associated Press said. The Florida-based company is taking on the giants of the movie industry over the use of the slogan, which it claims to have trademarked in October 2006. Since March, Beeceuticals claims that Howard Stern, the cousin of the company's director Richard Gerber, has aired the disputed slogan more than 400 times on his satellite radio show. The lawsuit filed on November 1 also claims that a Beeceuticals' marketing plan along with other copyright material including the slogan were presented to DreamWorks and Paramount in April and May this year. Beeceutical's attorney Elliot Zimmerman told Associated Press that the movie studios had no right to use the company's slogan. He said their actions had affected the sales of Beeceuticals' products and the extent of the financial damage was currently being calculated. Bee Movie was released in cinemas the day after the lawsuit was filed and tells the tale of free spirited bee who after graduating from bee college flees from the prospect of committing to a career.