Luxury automaker Ferrari is famous not only for its supercars but also for fiercely protecting its brand identity. One of the best-known examples involved Canadian electronic music producer Deadmau5 (Joel Thomas Zimmerman).

In 2014, Deadmau5 transformed his Ferrari 458 Italia into what he jokingly called the “Purrari.” Inspired by the viral Nyan Cat meme, the car featured a colorful wrap, parody Ferrari badges with a cat logo, and custom “Purrari” lettering. Photos of the one-of-a-kind supercar quickly spread across social media and automotive websites.

Ferrari, however, took a different view. The company sent Deadmau5 a cease-and-desist letter, arguing that the altered badges and branding infringed on Ferrari’s trademarks and could create confusion about the company’s brand. The dispute centered on the use of Ferrari’s protected logos and marks—not simply the fact that the car had been wrapped.

Rather than pursue a lengthy legal fight, Deadmau5 removed the custom branding, restored the car’s original appearance, and later sold it. He subsequently joked in interviews and on social media that Ferrari had effectively blacklisted him from purchasing another new Ferrari.

However, an important distinction is worth making: there is no public evidence that Ferrari’s CEO personally banned Deadmau5 from buying another Ferrari. While Ferrari is known for carefully managing relationships with customers—particularly buyers of limited-edition models—and enthusiasts often discuss an informal “blacklist,” the company has never publicly confirmed that its CEO issued a personal ban in this case.