After calling out Buc-ee's for suing smaller companies over animal mascots, British comedian and host of HBO's "Last Week Tonight," John Oliver launched a parody shop benefiting Hunger Free America.
The campaign has brought in nearly $500,000 while drawing fresh attention to the expense and pressure those trademark fights can place on local companies.
Here's what to know
As Good Good Good reported, Oliver followed his July 27 segment on Buc-ee's trademark track record by opening "Last Week Tonight's Buc-Off Shop," a temporary online store stocked with clothing, accessories, stickers, and umbrellas featuring the show's squirrel mascot, Mr. Nutterbutter.
"Buc-ee's loves to sue other companies, particularly those with animal mascots," Oliver said on his show.
He also described a pattern in which smaller businesses often end up settling, changing their logos, or closing because they do not have the money to keep fighting.
Oliver presented the shop as a direct response to that imbalance.
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"And that is where we come in," he said, before adding, "You can buy all of these items for a limited time at Buc-Off.com, with all profits going to Hunger Free America."
In an update, Oliver said, "The good news is, we've raised almost half a million dollars for Hunger Free America so far."
The online shop says the items are available through Sept. 8.
More background
Oliver pointed to one ongoing example: Buc-ee's lawsuit against Beaver Mini Mart, a small convenience store in Beavercreek near Dayton, Ohio. That case appears to have had one unintended effect, rallying local support around the smaller business rather than pushing it into obscurity.
Beavercreek resident Sam Bryan told local news, "It made me want to come out and support them and just help a local business that is being, what really feels like, bullied by a big corporation."
What's being done?
Oliver has made clear he is not finished using the parody shop. After noting that Buc-ee's was still pursuing smaller businesses, he said, "We're keeping our Buc-Off Shop open until further notice."
The show reinforced that message in a Facebook post: "There's still time to go Buc Wild in our Buc-Off Shop, which obviously has nothing to do with one very litigious gas station chain."
The post also reminded supporters that proceeds are going to Hunger Free America.
The nonprofit has embraced the campaign, featuring Mr. Nutterbutter on its homepage beneath a banner reading, "As Seen on Last Week Tonight: The Buc-Off Shop Supports Our Work."
It also encourages visitors to give directly, offering another option for people who want to contribute without buying merchandise.
Hunger Free America summed up the stakes this way: "48 million Americans and 1 in 5 children in the U.S. face hunger and struggle to get enough to eat, while massive cuts to federal food and nutrition programs are putting even more families at risk."
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