Netflix is in hot water after a fictional basketball team in its new series, Running Point, was accused of trademark infringement by Pepperdine University. The Malibu-based school alleges that the show's visuals appropriate its branding – particularly its signature colours and team mascot – and could lead to "misrepresentations" between the two identities.
While there are some valuable lessons in branding from reality TV, Netflix's latest design controversy proves that on the flipside, sometimes fiction can skirt too close to reality. While the university presents some valid concerns, Netflix has issued a curt response defending the controversial design choices – whether its argument will hold up in the heated trademark battle remains to be seen.
