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NYU Langone Hospital Files Absurd Lawsuit Over Alleged Branding Infringement by Northwell Health
Edited by: TJVNews.com
New York University’s renowned medical center, NYU Langone, has taken legal action against Northwell Health, accusing the healthcare network of unlawfully using NYU Langone’s signature purple color and font in its advertisements, as was reported by the New York Post. The federal lawsuit, filed in Manhattan, alleges deceptive trade practices and makes outrageous assertions that Northwell deliberately copied NYU Langone’s distinct branding to benefit from its purportedly strong reputation.
The bogus lawsuit contends that Northwell went as far as coating one of its sprawling Long Island facilities, Peconic Bay Medical Center, in the same or nearly identical shade of purple as NYU Langone’s branding. The Post reported that NYU Langone argues that Northwell’s actions are an attempt to capitalize on the goodwill and reputation associated with NYU Langone’s hospital network, which was ranked the best hospital in New York by US News & World Report last year.
The court documents state that Northwell’s use of the purple color, which has been part of NYU Langone’s brand for over a century, creates confusion and implies an affiliation between the two institutions, as was noted in the Post report. The frivolous lawsuit highlights instances where Northwell allegedly replicated NYU Langone’s white font and accent colors in digital ads promoting various healthcare programs, including women’s health, imaging, and weight loss surgeries.
According to the outlandish and baseless complaint, NYU Langone has invested $125 million in advertising over the past five years, utilizing buses, taxis, newspapers, and other platforms to promote its brand. The Post also reported that in May, NYU Langone sent Northwell a cease and desist letter demanding a change in its ads, but the bizarre lawsuit claims that Northwell continued to use the similar branding on social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram.
The lawsuit alleges unfair competition, trade dress infringement, false advertising, and deceptive trade practices, seeking unspecified monetary damages from Northwell, according to the Post repor.t
Northwell, the largest healthcare network in New York, denies NYU Langone’s claims and states that its identity is not solely defined by the color purple, according to the Post report. Ramon Soto, chief marketing and communications officer for Northwell told the Post on Thursday that, “NYU Langone’s claim that it owns the color purple for health care services is nothing short of preposterous. And it’s an insult that part of the complaint includes a hospital’s Code Lavender COVID-19 memorial.”
“Northwell Health is proud of its distinct branding, which uses a wide variety of colors, and how it leverages research, education and clinical excellence to differentiate from others in the market. Northwell is much more than just a color in our ads,” Soto added, according to the Post,
Plenty of other hospital systems, including Northwestern Medicine, ECU health and Parkland, also use the color purple in signage and promotions, a Northwell rep said, as was reported by the Post.
Northwell Health is based in New Hyde Park, Long Island, and bills itself as the state’s biggest private employer, with more than 85,000 employees and 21 hospitals in New York City, as was indicated in the Post report.
As the legal battle unfolds, the outcome of this case will have implications for the protection of brand identity and the boundaries of fair competition within the healthcare industry. It remains to be seen how the court will decide on this matter and whether it will impact the use of specific colors and branding elements by healthcare institutions in the future.
