Chipmaking giant Intel has sued (PDF) a small San Francisco digital marketing company, claiming that by calling itself "Vital Intel," the company has infringed and diluted Intel's trademarks.

In a complaint filed on Thursday, Intel says that for the past year it has "attempted tirelessly to amicably resolve this matter" to no avail. "Defendant has refused to take this matter seriously and engage in a substantive dialogue with Intel," the chipmaker's lawyers write.

"We don't really have a choice but to challenge trademark infringement of our rights," said Intel spokesperson Tom Waldrop. "We have an obligation to our shareholders to protect the investment in our brand."

The lawsuit says that everything from the coloring of Vital Intel's logo to the way it separates the words "Vital" and "Intel" contribute to the trademark confusion. "The VITAL INTEL trade name and the VITAL INTEL trademark wholly incorporate and emphasize the INTEL trademark, adding only 'VITAL,' a laudatory term."

Intel lawyers state that the Vital Intel name has confused customers, and it causes Intel's "valuable reputation and goodwill" to be put at risk. It points out several Intel trademarks—not just the ones Intel has used in integrated circuits and semiconductors, granted in 1972. The company also has a 1992 trademark on Intel as used in "sports bags, gym bags, carry-on bags, towels, and clothing" and a 2006 trademark on the use of Intel "for use in connection with telecommunications consulting services."

Intel RCM is a product that helps with optimizing advertising and reaching proper target audiences, tasks that could be seen as close to what Vital Intel does. Vital Intel's website says it helps with "demographic targeting and behavioral targeting" by building "lead generation websites."

The case was filed in the Northern District of California where both companies are based. Vital Intel did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Over the years, Intel has regularly filed trademark lawsuits against companies that have "intel" as part of their name. In 2008, the company filed at least 15 such lawsuits, including one against a travel agency and another against an electrician operating as "Intellectric." That pace has greatly slowed down, and federal court records show Vital Intel as the only defendant sued by Intel over trademark issues in 2015.