Ep347: Mormon Stories & Deseret IPA: Is There Really Brand Confusion?

What does a Utah craft beer have to do with the LDS Church’s lawsuit against Mormon Stories? More than you might think. In this episode, we revisit a previous Mormonish Podcast story about Bewilder Brewing and its Deseret IPA. The brewery was challenged by the LDS church over its use of the name “Deseret,” with trademark concerns ultimately leading to the beer being discontinued. Now, with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints suing Mormon Stories Podcast and John Dehlin, we’re taking another look at the Deseret IPA dispute through a new lens. The Church says its Mormon Stories lawsuit is about preventing consumer or brand confusion—arguing that elements of Mormon Stories’ branding could lead people to believe the podcast is associated with or endorsed by the Church. Sound familiar? Revisiting what happened to Deseret IPA asks the bigger question: How plausible is “brand confusion” in either case? Could consumers really mistake a craft IPA for a Church product—or Mormon Stories for an official Church podcast? And what do these cases tell us about how aggressively the Church protects its intellectual property and brand? Join us as we revisit Deseret IPA and leave you to consider the striking parallels with the battle now unfolding over Mormon Stories.This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy