Magic Hat Brewing, the national beer maker, is leaning on outside PR support in a marketing-turned-legal battle with Kentucky's West Sixth Brewing, a so-called craft brewer which Magic Hat says uses a logo too similar to its own.

magic hatMagic Hat, acquired by upstate New York's North American Breweries Holdings in 2010, works with Syracuse, N.Y.-based Eric Mower + Associates, which had previously worked with NABH. Mower partner Mary Beth Popp is advising Magic Hat.

Magic Hat, which wants West Sixth to drop a prominent "6" symbol that closely resembles Magic Hat's well-known "#9" mark, said talks between the two companies which started in September 2012 broke down.

"They agreed in principle to modify their design," said MH brand manager Ryan Daley. "And now they're going back on their word, and are attempting to tarnish our image instead."

Magic Hat on May 16 filed a trademark infringement suit against West Sixth in federal court.

West Sixth is using a social media campaign to portray itself as the victim of a larger "corporate bully" and "ridiculous" legal action. North American Breweries Holdings was acquired by Cerveceria Costa Rica in 2012.

"We know that as a company owned by an international conglomerate, the only value Magic Hat will listen to is their pocketbook, so that’s the only way we know to get them to stop," the company said in a statement urging its customers to buy West Sixth beer, sign a petition and boycott Magic Hat.