93 replies to this topic

[ScrewyAurum]

Following a bizarre turn of events and a highly unlikely TV commercial, actor Jerry Lambert - for years the "face" of the PlayStation brand - is being sued, along with Bridgestone, by none other than Sony itself.

Despite having made something of a name for himself playing the fictional PlayStation executive Kevin Butler, last month Lambert appeared in an advertisement for Bridgestone tyres playing a competitor's product, the Nintendo Wii.

Strangely, the commercial was later edited to remove Lambert from it entirely. Which seemed weird, but it may be explained by the fact that on September 11, Sony Computer Entertainment America filed a suit (spotted by gumby_trucker @ NeoGAF) against both Bridgestone and Wildcat Creek, a company registered in 2007 by...Jerry Lambert, who according to California Secretary of State data is also its president (it appears to be the registered name for Butler's handling of his business affairs).

Sony is suing both companies over trademark infringement, I'd wager for their use of Lambert - synonymous now with the PlayStation brand - in a scenario involving video games that aren't PlayStation games. It would be crazy if the fine print of Lambert's contract with Sony didn't include some mention of not being seen to endorse competing products for some set amount of time.

[Zeehunter]

This company fails in every department
Suing a guy who promoted Bridgestone tyres

[playstation]

This company fails in every department
Suing a guy who promoted Bridgestone tyres

Companies spend hundred of millions over brand image ...it hurts that image when someone who was promoting one brand is even seen on wide media playing competitors product.They pay top dollars to these people and they have full right to go after them also if it gonna hurt that brand in any ways.

[Udham]

He is VP of being an a*s too


Sony is within its rights. The guy should have some shame.
Indian cricketers do it too and it looks retarded. Sachin was in dil mange more for pepsi for so many yrs and then suddenly switched and i noticed the dil se khelo for coke shot in the identical village like settings.

Edited by Udham, 07 October 2012 - 11:57 AM.

[Aftrunner]

Companies spend hundred of millions over brand image ...it hurts that image when someone who was promoting one brand is even seen on wide media playing competitors product.They pay top dollars to these people and they have full right to go after them also if it gonna hurt that brand in any ways.

I hope Sony Bankrupts this guy and forces his family out on the street. Also I hope Bridgestone go bankrupt too for their insolence. HOW DARE THEY!

Lulzy story though.

[Udham]

GAF says they are settling out of court.

[Zeehunter]

Companies spend hundred of millions over brand image ...it hurts that image when someone who was promoting one brand is even seen on wide media playing competitors product.They pay top dollars to these people and they have full right to go after them also if it gonna hurt that brand in any ways.

Sony still has any brand image left ??

For once if we believe they have some brand image left and are defending it ..
Then filing a lawsuit against a guy who did an ad for a completely unrelated company which had a promotion of Wii is still unacceptable ..
He didn't directly do an ad for Nintendo / MS

If we apply same logic then some one endorsing Pepsi can't endorse McDonalds / Dominoes Pizza because they promote Coca cola

Edited by Zeehunter, 07 October 2012 - 04:18 PM.

[Karooo]

I think he promoted the Wii via Bridgestone--that's why.

[ScrewyAurum]

UPDATE - It appears attempts have been made to settle the suit privately, but these have not proved decisive, with the court ordering that both parties commit one way or another to a formal hearing by October 12.

[Zeehunter]

^^ Now Jerry Lambert will think thousand times before renewing his contract with Sony ..
Lol Sony never fails to disappoint .. (Virtual) Kevin butler was a prominent figure of SCEA

Expect MS to appoint him and do a parody of Sony ads .. For e.g. Former VP of Fony who was deprived of gaming , etc

[Zeehunter]

I think he promoted the Wii via Bridgestone--that's why.

But according to Kaz Hirai , Wii is not a competitor to the great PS3

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/hirai-were-the-official-industry-leader

Edited by Zeehunter, 07 October 2012 - 05:31 PM.

[spindoctor]

yea, let's sue the guy who was responsible for one of the extremely rare advertising/marketing success stories the playstation brand has had in the last 5 years. f**king well done sony.

[ScrewyAurum]

But according to Kaz Hirai , Wii is not a competitor of the great PS3

http://www.eurogamer...industry-leader

So much fail in that interview!

[Zeehunter]

So much fail in that interview!

Microsoft and Nintendo are freaking idiots for creating an easy to develop consoles
Now the question is what we would do for the rest of nine and half years .. We are doomed ..

[Udham]

So much fail in that interview!

Oh my gawd. Kazzzz`
Link needed for full interview.

[Zeehunter]

Search for Official Playstation magazine's Jan / Feb 2009 issue ..
I am on my mobile or I would have done the honours of posting the link .. :|

Edited by Zeehunter, 07 October 2012 - 05:38 PM.

[Shadoken]

What a dick move , hope they lose badly and get owned.

So basically They are suing Lambert because he looks like himself . Too bad Mr Lambert if you ever wanna act in any commercial with an xbox or a wii you are going to have to undergo plastic surgery. Because your face and you is a rip off Kevin Butler , A character WE created using OUR MONEY. YOUR SOUL IS MINE!!!!

And people give apple sh*t , this is a whole new level.

Hes just a fking actor , let him do his job. Its not like hes working for nintendo , what can he do if bridgestone decides to use Mario kart over your dumb kart rip offs.

But according to Kaz Hirai , Wii is not a competitor to the great PS3

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/hirai-were-the-official-industry-leader

Yea they are industry leaders alright , indsutry leader in arrogance. Its going to kill them someday , and that day might not be very far

Edited by Shadoken, 07 October 2012 - 05:42 PM.

[Zeehunter]

Bridgestone removed him from the ads ..
I am pretty sure there will be a clause in the contract which prevents Lambert from doing any endorsements for rival gaming companies , otherwise Bridgestone wouldn't have removed a guy endorsing their products for past year or so
And we don't know if this was a cross promotion by Ninty and Bridgestone or just a free giveaway

Sony would surely win the case in the court but this has brought the company in the negative light
They could have easily sorted this out behind the doors ..
Plus they have sued him for infringing an IP of theirs .. Now even a human becomes an IP , it happens only at Sony

Edited by Zeehunter, 07 October 2012 - 05:58 PM.

[Rock Lee]

What a train wreck

But I bet he is under some contractual agreement, else they would be utterly dumb to even try to sue him.

Expect MS to appoint him and do a parody of Sony ads .. For e.g. Former VP of Fony who was deprived of gaming , etc

Yeah, it is like Samsung doing Apple Parody when it comes to Mobiles or Mac OS doing Windows parody when it comes to OS.

So wait, you are saying Sony is to video game industry what Apple is to smartphones and Windows is to OS?

[The White Pele]

What a dick move , hope they lose badly and get owned.

So basically They are suing Lambert because he looks like himself . Too bad Mr Lambert if you ever wanna act in any commercial with an xbox or a wii you are going to have to undergo plastic surgery. Because your face and you is a rip off Kevin Butler , A character WE created using OUR MONEY. YOUR SOUL IS MINE!!!!

And people give apple sh*t , this is a whole new level.

Hes just a fking actor , let him do his job. Its not like hes working for nintendo , what can he do if bridgestone decides to use Mario kart over your dumb kart rip offs.



Yea they are industry leaders alright , indsutry leader in arrogance. Its going to kill them someday , and that day might not be very far

No man its ruins sony's brand image you know its more complicated than you think.

[Zeehunter]

No man its ruins sony's brand image you know its more complicated than you think.

Yeah ..
And suing a guy elevates Sony's brand image ??

[Udham]

Search for Official Playstation magazine's Jan / Feb 2009 issue ..
I am on my mobile or I would have done the honours of posting the link .. :|

Gotta find it, its golden. I can picture him doing this throughout the interview

Spoiler

[Zeehunter]

Spoiler

^^ 3 months for replacing PS3 if it goes kaput

[Noctis]

So basically They are suing Lambert because he looks like himself . Too bad Mr Lambert if you ever wanna act in any commercial with an xbox or a wii you are going to have to undergo plastic surgery. Because your face and you is a rip off Kevin Butler , A character WE created using OUR MONEY. YOUR SOUL IS MINE!!!!

Lets see what the court has to say about it. If he was not allowed to do this by the contract then he clearly was in the wrong doing so.

[Zeehunter]

Yea they are industry leaders alright , indsutry leader in arrogance. Its going to kill them someday and that day might not be very far

You can't kill what's already dead

I am pretty sure Sony's board of directors are filled with MBA grads who have received a degree only because of ATKT or else no one would appoint an arrogant fool like Kaz Hirai as a CEO of the parent company

Meanwhile , only gaming company like Nintendo has a higher market cap than the Conglomerate like Sony in Tokyo's Stock Exchange

Edited by Zeehunter, 07 October 2012 - 06:18 PM.

[VelivolusDas]

Now even a human becomes an IP , it happens only at Sony

The character was Sony's idea..... Hence, in the legal world, it is considered an IP....

[Choron ka raja]

The character was Sony's idea..... Hence, in the legal world, it is considered an IP....

If he plays Kevin Butler, else no. We don't have the actual video posted yet, so I don't know what exactly is the issue, but Kevin butler is Sony's IP, Lambert is not. Lambert has all the rights to endorse multiple product, as long as it is not in direct competition with Sony. Since it was an ad for Bridgestone, Sony has no case. Although, things will change if video says Kevin butler at any point.

[Zeehunter]

The character was Sony's idea..... Hence, in the legal world, it is considered an IP....

Zzzz .. Kevin butler is Sony's idea not Lambert
In Bridgestone's ad he isn't acting as Kevin butler

And btw Sony even sued Bridgestone

@Jeetzz - Lambert was shown playing Mario kart Wii in the commercial because Bridgestone had an offer that if U buy their tyres U get a $70 gift card or a Wii
This wasn't Lambert's first bridgestone's commercial , he already did couple of their ads

In real world , he is a human and has to feed his family , he just can't live on penny's thrown at him by Sony

Edited by Zeehunter, 07 October 2012 - 08:48 PM.

[VelivolusDas]

We don't have the actual video posted yet, so I don't know what exactly is the issue

Exactly....

[Udham]

We don't have the actual video posted yet

We already have.

In real world , he is a human and has to feed his family , he just can't live on penny's thrown at him by Sony

Edited by Udham, 07 October 2012 - 09:05 PM.