Döner Haus opened in Lower Manhattan back in March. The company promises real German kebabs — ideal for a quick lunch, take-home dinner, or to soak up the alcohol after spending a long night at a bar.
Unfortunately, however, Döner Haus’ selection of authentic food options has been overshadowed by a slightly more pressing matter— their logo closely resembles that of one of the internet’s largest porn sites.
Pornhub has expressed concern that the logo of DönerHaus could confuse consumers because it’s too similar to the icon of their website. The leading adult website has threatened to take legal action if the issue is not resolved.
In response, Döner Haus marketing manager Pauline Phan argued that the two companies are in entirely different sectors, meaning there’s very little chance of confusion.
Admittedly, the two logos look very much alike, and Döner Haus clearly had an agenda when picking their design. But is this really worth Pornhub’s time and money? Could people actually get a kebab shop mixed up with an adult website? I’m not convinced, but Pornhub seems to think this is a matter that needs addressing.
Despite the apparent similarities, the logo has some notable differences, such as the different shades of orange between the two and the underlining of the word ‘Döner’.
This isn’t the first instance of bigger brands targeting small businesses over logo disputes. Apple, for example, ruthlessly attacked Prepear back in 2020. The crime? Prepear used a pear as a logo. That’s right. It wasn’t even an apple. Thankfully, Apple lost the dispute, and Prepear still uses its fruity icon to this day.
Shelley Cooke
Shelley Cooke is a blogger and podcaster from Asheville, North Carolina (Go Oilers!). She’s passionate about technology and the role it plays in building communities.