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turtle777 · Sep 15, 2005, 04:23 PM

So, GM Germany ("Opel") used someone with a voice similar to Tom Waits to sing an old song of the classic composer Brahms.

Now they get sued by Waits for using an "alike voice"

linky

WTF ? Where is this sueing frency going to end ?

-t

TETENAL · Sep 15, 2005, 04:33 PM

Opel is not "GM Germany". Opel is Opel. Owned by GM.

DeathMan · Sep 15, 2005, 04:34 PM

I'm not a big fan of suing either, but you need to protect your money-maker.

Andreas Schumacher, Waits' German lawyer, said the singer was approached numerous times about doing the ads last year, but declined, citing a policy of not doing commercials. He said the firm then hired a soundalike and the ads aired earlier this year in Sweden, Finland, Denmark and Norway.

They decided to go with him anyway, without his permission. If the voices are similar enough to make people think it actually is Tom Waits doing the commercial, he has every right to sue them (to get them to stop).

turtle777 · Sep 15, 2005, 04:54 PM

Originally Posted by TETENAL

Opel is not "GM Germany". Opel is Opel. Owned by GM.

Klugscheißer und/oder Korinthenkacker !

-t

sminch · Sep 15, 2005, 04:55 PM

If the voices are similar enough to make people think it actually is Tom Waits doing the commercial, he has every right to sue them (to get them to stop).

really? so it'd be illegal to use a lookalike in an ad? interesting stuff!

sminch

turtle777 · Sep 15, 2005, 04:55 PM

Originally Posted by DeathMan

If the voices are similar enough to make people think it actually is Tom Waits doing the commercial, he has every right to sue them (to get them to stop).

On what grounds ? Similar by whose standards ?

-t

ReggieX · Sep 15, 2005, 06:23 PM

I refer you to the case of Huey Lews vs. Ray Parker Jr. for the "Ghostbusters" theme.

Person Man · Sep 15, 2005, 06:29 PM

Originally Posted by ReggieX

I refer you to the case of Huey Lews vs. Ray Parker Jr. for the "Ghostbusters" theme.

Huey Lewis didn't sue Ray Parker because his voice sounded like Huey's. He sued him because he thought the "Ghostbusters" song sounded like Lewis' "I want a new drug."

Mastrap · Sep 15, 2005, 07:05 PM

Originally Posted by TETENAL

Opel is not "GM Germany".

Not anymore, as far as I know.

Anyway while I kind of applaud ol' Tom (no means no) I don't think he's got a leg to stand on. If they would have used one of his songs maybe, but the agency will argue that by using another artist they circumvented him and his rights.

symonsl · Sep 15, 2005, 09:16 PM

http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/7587/frito_lay.html

He's won a similar suit at least once before.

ReggieX · Sep 15, 2005, 09:37 PM

Originally Posted by Person Man

Huey Lewis didn't sue Ray Parker because his voice sounded like Huey's. He sued him because he thought the "Ghostbusters" song sounded like Lewis' "I want a new drug."

Huey was approached first to write the theme song. He said no. Then the studio approached Ray, asking for something catchy like Huey Lewis did. Ray ripped them off.

DeathMan · Sep 16, 2005, 01:24 AM

Originally Posted by sminch

really? so it'd be illegal to use a lookalike in an ad? interesting stuff!

sminch

If I were the artist, and was approached by a company to be in their ad, said no way, I don't swing like that, and they went out and got someone who looked and dressed like me to be in their ad to make people think it was me endorsing their product?

I would pursue legal action, yes.

TETENAL · Sep 16, 2005, 04:17 AM

Iglo is making TV advertisement with a Boris Becker lookalike (Boris Becker is a former tennis player):

http://www.iglo.de/ueber_iglo/lecker...er/p_spot.html

Doofy · Sep 16, 2005, 05:02 AM

Andreas Schumacher, Waits' German lawyer, said the singer was approached numerous times about doing the ads last year, but declined, citing a policy of not doing commercials.

And there ya go - if they hadn't have approached Waits in the first place and just gone with someone who sounded like him, this would be a non-issue (as you can't sue people for their natural attributes).

Eriamjh · Sep 16, 2005, 06:14 AM

Germany has a lot of tough laws, many of them are stupid. I'm not surprised.

And Opel is a division of GM, like Chevy.

analogika · Sep 16, 2005, 07:53 AM

Originally Posted by TETENAL

Iglo is making TV advertisement with a Boris Becker lookalike (Boris Becker is a former tennis player):

http://www.iglo.de/ueber_iglo/lecker...er/p_spot.html

There is a slight difference there: The REAL Boris Becker drops from the ceiling at the end of the Iglo commercial.