‘Bluey’ Files Lawsuit Against Amazon, Walmart, and Major Retailers

The Heelers might be the most popular animated family on TV right now. With 737 million minutes of programming in April 2023 alone, it’s clear the BBC Studios series has a loyal global following.

In 2018, the Queensland-based company Ludo Studio introduced the six-year-old puppy Bluey Heeler. Created by Joe Brumm, the series follows Bluey, her four-year-old baby sister Bingo, and their “Mum” (Chilli) and “Dad” (Bandit) in imaginative moments that resonate with kids and parents alike (not to mention the show’s soundtrack is top-notch).

Although “Bluey” was commissioned by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) and the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), Disney owns distribution rights to air “Bluey” on its channels, Disney Plus and Disney Junior. Contributing to the “Bluey” buzz, Disney has opened fans’ eyes to the iconic cartoon. Still, because BBC Studios owns the series’ global distribution and merchandising rights, Guests won’t see Bluey in the Disney Parks soon.

But Disney isn’t the one in the hot seat in the latest news about the BBC’s “Bluey” crusade. With the “Bluey” IP raking in $200 billion in 2022 alone, it’s proven to be a cash cow. Unsurprisingly, companies like Amazon sell products with Bluey’s likeness, but the BBC isn’t standing for it, and they’re cracking down on them with legal action.

Legal Blues: What You Need to Know

On June 20, 2023, in Chicago, Illinois, BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. filed a blanket lawsuit against major retailers for stealing intellectual property. According to Newsweek, the defendants in the case are referred to as follows:

The partnerships and unincorporated associations identified on schedule ‘A’

The case includes a list of demands from the production studio to remove knock-off “Bluey” products from Amazon, Walmart, Etsy, eBay, Wish.com, and more. In an aim to assert the “Bluey” trademark, BBC Studios, Newsweek reports the lawsuit prevents any listed distributors from “reproductions, counterfeit copies or colorable imitations” of “Bluey.”

Presenting three documents from the United States Patent and Trademark Office proving the BBC and Ludo Studio’s rights to two “Bluey” logos and the animated design of Bluey Heely, the case demands compensation for any profits gained in the defendant’s trademark infringement.

Not Bluey’s First Rodeo

In the course of 151 episodes produced for “Bluey,” this isn’t the first time the series has been wrapped up in legal woes. However, previous instances had the preschool cartoon series on the flip side. “Bluey” received backlash for the phrase “ooga booga” used in two episodes from August 2020 when viewers flagged them for racial insensitivity regarding Indigenous Australians.

Another more recent episode was removed from season 3 of “Bluey” when it was accused by viewers across the pond of “fat shaming.” In an “Exercise” episode, Dad points out his physique and alludes to the need to work out, to which Mum agrees. The ABC apologized and edited the show before it reached stateside viewers.

While it’s unclear how the latest “Bluey” battle will materialize, it will undoubtedly serve as a warning to stateside corporations leveraging the unmatched popularity of the world-famous “Bluey.”