In Bannalec, in Finistère, the small craft brewery L’Imprimerie thought it had closed the case for its beer **John Lemon**, targeted by Yoko Ono’s lawyers. A month later, a new registered letter arrives: this time, it is Mireille Mathieu who calls for the discontinuation of another vintage with sounds very close to its name, the dark beer “Mireille Mafieux”. For a structure which sells mainly in a few bars, creperies and local shops, the repetition effect resembles a real legal storm.
Because basically, L’Imprimerie has made a specialty of these puns that make you smile on labels. Except that when the humor touches on the name and image of international stars, the joke is resolved by formal notices, destruction of stocks and threats of financial compensation. And there, everything changes for the brewer.
A Breton brewery addicted to winks that clashes with rights holders
In his Bannalec workshop, Aurélien Picard has imagined a range of beers where each recipe has its own little joke: a lemon beer called **John Lemon**, a brown “Mireille Mafieux” inspired by the bob cut of Mireille Mathieu… The tone is intended to be light, the volumes remain limited, far from the shelves of mass distribution.
On May 7, a letter signed by Mireille Mathieu’s lawyers arrived at the brewery, but also at France Télévisions, which had broadcast a video showing the bottle. The singer’s advice requires that the brewery cease all exploitation of the name “Mireille Mafieux”, withdraw from sale all the bottles and labels concerned and proceed to destroy the stocks still available. They evoke both patrimonial and moral damage, with the possibility of financial compensation.
After John Lemon, a new costly episode for L’Imprimerie
This is not the first time that the creativity of L’Imprimerie has come up against the reality of the law. In April, the lemon beer “John Lemon” already had to be renamed after the intervention of John Lennon’s representatives, commissioned by Yoko Ono. The discussions resulted in the name being abandoned, even though the brewery had proposed a more discreet replacement, “Jaune Lemon”, which was ultimately refused.
For “Mireille Mafieux”, Aurélien Picard chose to react very quickly. According to those around him, he has already contacted a graphic designer to modify the visual and found a new name for the beer: “Jeanne Dark”. The drawing associated with Mireille Mathieu has been removed from the brewery website as well as those of several partners. Pressed by the schedule, the brewer must at the same time reprint labels, bring the bottles into conformity and review all of its communication, a few weeks before summer, a decisive period for sales.
Mireille Mathieu, Yoko Ono: what these businesses change for artisans
For this modest-sized company, these back and forths with lawyers weigh heavily. You have to absorb the cost of discarded labels, pay for new printing, manage the removal of visuals online and possibly destroy stocks already bottled. In a market where every season counts, especially summer in Brittany, these expenses arrive as unforeseen charges.
Aurélien Picard insists that he is not looking for any buzz. Before hanging up, he clarified to France Télévisions: “this matter is absolutely not an advertisement. I have already contacted my partners to have the visual in question removed in order to meet the lawyers’ demands.” At Bannalec, puns have not disappeared, but the brewer now recognizes that they will be handled with more caution.
FAQs
Why did Mireille Mathieu send a formal notice to the L’Imprimerie brewery?
Mireille Mathieu’s lawyers believe that the “Mireille Mafieux” beer harms her interests, by playing on her name and image. They demand an end to all exploitation of the name, the withdrawal of bottles from sale and the destruction of stocks.
What were the consequences for the John Lemon beer targeted by Yoko Ono?
After a first formal notice linked to the beer “John Lemon”, inspired by John Lennon, the L’Imprimerie brewery agreed to abandon this name. Even the proposed replacement “Jaune Lemon” was not accepted, which forced the craftsman to completely rename his lemon beer.
How did the brewery rename the Mireille Mafieux beer?
To turn the page on the dispute with Mireille Mathieu, the dark beer “Mireille Mafieux” was renamed “Jeanne Dark”. A new visual is being created and the old design has already been removed from the sites of the brewery and its partners.
Where are the beers from the L’Imprimerie brewery sold?
Production remains artisanal and in small quantities. L’Imprimerie’s beers are mainly distributed in bars, creperies and local shops in Brittany, with no presence in large retailers.
