Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (D-Wash.) has pulled a piece of campaign merchandise inspired by the popular nicotine pouch brand Zyn after its parent company reportedly demanded she stop selling it.
The congresswoman originally added a puck-shaped storage tin labeled “GLUE-ZYN-KAMP” to her campaign’s online storefront in early September, drawing on the recognizable packaging of the Zyn brand.
Philip Morris International (PM), which owns the Zyn brand, allegedly issued a cease-and-desist demand, pushing the campaign to rethink the product entirely.
“While we appreciate enthusiasm for our brands from legal-age (21+) adults, the product violates our ZYN trademark and the campaign must cease and desist using it,” a Philip Morris International spokesperson said in a statement provided to Oregon Public Broadcasting.
Gluesenkamp Perez announced Thursday that her campaign had replaced the original tin with a redesigned version that still mimics Zyn’s circular packaging but carries a different label.
The new container reads “Marie for Congress” instead of the previous Zyn-referencing branding, sidestepping the trademark concerns raised by Philip Morris International.
“Yes, we made more. Now with our limited-edition grille logo and hopefully fewer lawyers,” Gluesenkamp Perez wrote on social media alongside photos of the newly launched tins.
The updated merchandise retains the same $50 price tag as its predecessor but now comes in two colors, green and black, and features the “Teamster Made” logo.
The lighthearted product update reflects a campaign strategy that leans into a working-class, blue-collar identity in a district that has trended Republican in recent election cycles.
Gluesenkamp Perez is considered one of her party’s most vulnerable incumbents heading into the midterms, competing for reelection in a district that President Trump carried three times.
