50 Cent In Da Court Again!
Rapper 50 Cent smells something rotten at Taco Bell!
He’s suing the chalupa chain for trademark infringement and misappropriation of his right to publicity, among other claims. Click here to read the lawsuit, but here’s enough information to get you through any dinner conversation. 50 alleges:
- Taco Bell drafted a “faux” letter purportedly addressed to 50, asking him to change his name for one day from “50 Cent” to “79 Cent,” “89 Cent,” or “99 Cent” in order to publicize the fast food chain’s value menu.
- The letter went out to the national press, instead of to the rapper. The media then ran the letter, providing millions of dollars in free publicity without licensing the rapper’s trademarked name.
- Taco Bell knew it may have had to pay 50 a multi-million dollar fee to get his endorsement. Instead, Taco Bell “chose to steal his endorsement and to enjoy all the publicity of being associated with a mega-star while bearing none of the costs.”
Popsquire’s perspective…
A smart celebrity keeps an eye out for unauthorized uses of his name and/or likeness. Although magazines generally don’t have to pay celebs to run pictures of them associated with news, advertising triggers a whole other set of rules. To use a celeb’s picture to endorse a product without permission (and without a fee) can be considered a trademark infringement and a misappropriation of the celebrity’s name and likeness.
Popsquire gives Taco Bell credit for attempting to find a clever way around asking 50 for an endorsement deal, but the strategy may ultimately backfire…kinda like the results of some of its menu items!
July 25th, 2008 at 1:49 am
With TiVo I never would’ve seen this stupid commercial, but because of his lawsuit, I know all about it). I understand he needs to protect his image, but is whining about a Taco Bell ad really making him look harder? This reminds me soooo much of Coolio getting mad at Weird Al for “Amish Paradise.”
July 25th, 2008 at 11:17 am
[...] Popsquire Beat: July 19-25 Rapper 50 Cent was In Da Court again this week! He’s suing Taco Bell for trademark infringement and misappropriation of his [...]