HomeVestors CEO David Hicks and the company's caveman mascot.The Dallas company known for advertisements saying “we buy ugly houses” is suing HGTV’s parent company over one of its latest home renovation shows.
HomeVestors of America Inc. filed a lawsuit Monday in Delaware federal court against Warner Bros. Discovery Inc., claiming that HGTV’s showinfringes its trademark rights for its annual contest “The Ugliest House of The Year.” In the show, comedian Retta, who uses just one name professionally, travels to properties that their owners nominated as the ugliest in the country and awards the winner with a $150,000 makeover.
“The show mocks owners and their homes for odd design choices, often labeling the homes as ‘heinous’ or ‘grotesque,’” HomeVestors said in a statement.features homes its franchisees purchased and renovated each year, highlighting one dramatic home makeover as the winner. HomeVestors said the names of the HGTV show and the contest are confusingly similar and “confuse the harm and goodwill associated with its brand.
“[HGTV’s] attempt to turn poor housing design into a comedy show reflects poorly on the homeowners and on the concept of home remodeling,” the lawsuit states. “This runs counter to HomeVestors’ brand image, which focuses on helping rehab homes that have fallen into disrepair and helping homeowners out of ‘ugly situations.