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Trials & Litigation

Law grad settles claims that Chobani co-opted his 'how' philosophy in a marketing campaign

A Harvard law grad who helps businesses create ethical cultures has settled state and federal lawsuits that claimed an advertising agency for Chobani yogurt co-opted his “how” philosophy with a “how matters” marketing campaign.

Dov Seidman and his company, the LRN Corp., announced the settlement in October. Court documents indicate that Seidman, Chobani, and its ad agency, Droga5, stipulated to dismissal of the suits and counterclaims in July. Chobani also dropped its trademark application for “how matters.”

Details of the settlement were confidential.

Seidman wrote a book setting out his philosophy, How: Why How We Do Anything Means Everything.

Chobani is “using ‘how’ to convey and connote that they are an ethical company,” Seidman told the New York Times in 2014. “They are using ‘how’ exactly the way I use it. They’ve appropriated the foundation of my entire philosophy.”

He cited a tweet by Chobani.