Many people would enjoy seeing their face plastered on a billboard. Not Woody Allen.
On March 1, the filmmaker filed a $10 million lawsuit against the clothing company American Apparel Inc (APP) whose recent advertising campaign featured an unauthorized shot of Allen dressed as a rabbi from the movie Annie Hall. Lucky for him, Allen is protected by his right to publicity and will likely have a good case against AAI, says Joe Dreitler, a trademark attorney in Columbus, Ohio. “People have a right to control the commercial use of their name and likeness. It’s not fair to take advantage of someone’s reputation to make a buck.”
Of course splashing a celebrity on a poster, even for a school bake sale (Britney Butter Cookies, anyone?), is a great way to get attention. Are the rules the same for a small town PTA, as they are for a big company? They are. If a person is at all recognizable, permission is needed to use that image, or likeness in any form, for commercial use. “If you use someone’s image and don't get their consent, it is a recipe to get yourself sued,” says Dreitler.
Even not-for-profit causes should be wary. For instance, a website associated with Connie Loughman, a private citizen who suffers from pancreatic cancer, was recently called out for posting the name and image of Patrick Swayze. The site, advocates finding a cure for pancreatic cancer, specifically by encouraging executives at GenVec (GNVC) to allow people suffering from pancreatic cancer access to new treatments that they are developing.
