Death of Solsun, birth of Oberon
In the mid-1990s all the sororities at Western Michigan University for fall rush used the logo of Bell's Solsun beer on their T-shirts - around 600 of them, according to Bell's Brewing Co. owner Larry Bell.
Bell wanted to protect his logo so he filed for copyright protection. The Mexican brewing company Cerveceria Cuauhtemoc Moctezuma, which was started in 1890, found out about the Bell's brand and sued over naming rights because it had a product called El Sol (The Sun). The Mexican company let Bell keep the logo, but the name of Solsun had to be changed.
In 1996, Bell selected the name Oberon, referencing the Fairy King in Shakespeare's play "A Midsummer Night's Dream." He said it was a fun name and also had six letters, like Solsun.
In addition, Bell played the part of Oberon in sixth grade. In the play, Oberon gives his wife a potion that causes her to fall in love.
"I pulled it off great and I still see Queen Titania. She lives in Chicago," Bell said.
- John Liberty, Kalamazoo Gazette