Christchurch cleaner Bridgit Veenings has received a legal challenge from Universal Studio's over the use of 'Minions' in her business name Minions and Me Cleaning Ltd

A Hollywood heavyweight has threatened a Christchurch cleaner with legal action over a yellow cartoon character.

Bridgit Veenings, who owns Minions and Me Cleaning Ltd, received an email from a Universal Studios lawyer on Wednesday, demanding she remove images of minions – little yellow creatures that appear in Despicable Me and Minions films – and cease trading under the Minions and Me name.

Veenings used Minion imagery on Trade Me listings, Facebook promotions, her website and commercial vehicle.

KIRK HARGREAVES/FAIRFAX NZ Christchurch cleaner Bridgit Veenings does not want to change her business name, Minions and Me Cleaning Ltd, despite a legal threat.

"You may believe your use is humorous or based on an affection for Universal's motion pictures. However, you are using trade marks and copyright materials that do not belong to your company," lawyer Stacey Campbell wrote.

"Your use of Universal's trade marks is likely to tarnish and dilute Universal's brand. Your use of Universal's characters and artwork also constitutes copyright infringement."

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Veenings said the name actually came from the Alexander Minion character in the Spy Kids films, suggested by her teenaged sons.

"The minion in that movie was a hard worker, and that's what we are – hard-working people doing jobs other people don't want to do," she said.

The Companies Office had not questioned the name choice when she registered it in October 2013, two months before Universal registered the "Minions" trademark.

In the letter, Campbell said Veenings was required to respond within 14 days, confirming she had complied with Universal's demands.

Campbell said she was unable to comment without further instruction from Universal.

Veenings said she would continue to use the Minions and Me name.

Minions was not a made-up word and it was unlikely people would confuse her business with Universal Studios, she said.

"How can you copyright a word in the dictionary?"

Veenings said her business name did not come from the Despicable Me franchise but she admitted to branding her business with Minions imagery.

She was happy to remove images of digitally-altered Minions characters she had used to brand her business.

Veenings said she did not want to use her business capital to fund legal representation.

She employs up to 13 mothers from the Spreydon community.

"My business was set up to empower women in employment," Veenings said.

"It's not a corporate, million-dollar franchise I'm running."

Gus Hazel, a partner at law firm James & Wells, which specialises in intellectual property rights, said Veenings risked litigation if she continued to trade under the "Minions" name.

Hazel said he was unable to comment on specifics but Veenings' use of Minions branding could imply an endorsement by or an association with Universal.

"Why are people going to pay you to get a licence to put that image on their tea towel or their bubble bath or whatever else, when people are doing it for free?"

The fact Veenings registered her company prior to Universal registering the Minions trademark may not matter in court, he said.