OFF BEAT: Florida pizza joint logo gives Jersey Turnpike Authority agita

Why didn’t they just name it “Jersey Highway Pizza,” or better yet “Beach Traffic Pizza.”

For some unfathomable reason, a Florida pizza shop has decided to link its identity to a roadway best known for infuriating weekend drivers coming home from a day or weekend at the beach, to the ire of the state agency which runs said roadway.

The New Jersey Turnpike Authority filed suit July 21 in U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey to stop a Jersey Boardwalk Pizza of Tavernier, Florida from using a logo the Authority contends is based directly upon its logo for the Garden State Parkway.

The round logo with yellow printing emblazoned with the outline of the state is widely known to those who traverse the Garden State.

Indeed, in its suit, the Turnpike Authority called the parkway “…one of the most iconic and well-known highways in the United States…” and said it “…has invested a substantial amount of time, money and other resources advertising, promoting, marketing and publicizing its services provided under the Garden State Parkway Logo mark. As a result of Plaintiff’s substantial advertising, marketing and promotional efforts, the Garden State Parkway Logo mark has acquired substantial consumer recognition and goodwill and has achieved the status of being a famous mark.”

The round pizza shop logo, using an identical color scheme and outline of the state, reads “subs-cheesesteaks-pasta” instead of “Parkway.”

The Authority has asked a judge to stop Jersey Pizza from using the logo in question, claiming service mark infringement.