Can the concept of a walk with your friends be trademarked?
That question is at the center of a legal dispute involving an Indianapolis woman.
The organizer of a popular Indianapolis walking club, Casey Springer, has been sued by TikTok influencer, Mia Lind, for allegedly using her trademarked brand without permission, business disparagement and defamation. Lind began promoting the idea of a women-only mental health walk during the pandemic and branded it as “Hot Girl Walk.”
Springer said she was inspired by the California-based Lind to create Hot Girl Walk Indianapolis but did not want to partner with the company because of differing values. For one, she did not like Hot Girl Walk’s partnership with Weight Watchers, which she said could hurt some of the Indianapolis participants who suffered from eating disorders. From there, the conflict grew. Springer accused Lind of trying to shut down a local walking club that was free to the community. Lind accused Springer of disparaging and harassing her and her company and encouraging her followers do the same, according to the lawsuit.
“When I created Hot Girl Walk, I never expected something like this to happen,” Lind said in a statement. “Ms. Springer’s words and actions are very scary, and this was my only choice to protect me, my family, and my company.”
Springer said her negative comments were made in a private chat with her friends, which someone later leaked to Lind and she said she never intended for her words to go beyond a small group.
“I was venting with my galpals,” Springer said. “That’s all it was.”
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