Monster Energy Drink (aka Camel Piss – thanks RT – lol) decided in their infinite corporate wisdom to squash a small family run micro-brewery for daring to produce a big time beer and naming it Vermonster Beer.  On September 14, 2009 Rock Art Brewery received a cease and desist order from attorneys representing Hansen Natural Corp the owner of Camel Pis … I mean Monster Energy Drink.  It appears that Hanson/Camel/Monster want to expand into the alcoholic beverage industry and wants the name Vermonster for themselves … and for free no less.

I doubt that Monster Energy Drink lawyers really thought through this plan when they sent out their cease and desist order.  When you are a multi-billion dollar corporation, you get the idea that you are invincible - it becomes really hard to see the risk involved in taking on a puny little brewery.  The Monster lawyers look like a bunch of IM noobs!  lol.  I doubt that they ever envisioned an online revolution against their product seeing how different the products actually are.  I mean Vermonster is made with a pile of hops, lots of alcohol and just a touch of Vermont, while Monster Energy Drink is made of 100% monster monkey ass.  Other than they are both liquids, they have nothing in common!

I became aware of this story first from Griz on his Make Money Online blog but the original IM marketer that broke this story was Allyn Hane, vblogger extraordinaire at Blogger Illustrated.  The power of the internet and internet marketers in particular is increasing.  The idea that single bloggers located all around the world could come together and take on a multi-billion dollar corporation was unknown even 10 years ago.  It will be interesting to see where this takes us and we will watch this story as it develops.

Other Bloggers Talking about this story:

Monster Energy Drink vs Vermonster Beer – Griz

F You Monster Energy Drink – May You Go Bank-Fing-Rupt – Allyn

Monster Energy Drink Side Effects

Monster Energy Drink Sucks the Life Out of Small Business

ROCK ART BREWERY vs Corporate America – The Biggest Scam of All! – Liz

Monster Energy Drink – Corporate America Gone Bad

When is a Monster a Bully?

Monster Energy Drink Attacks Vermont Beer

Poll: Monster Energy vs Vermonster Beer