Coca-Cola sued by late US singer Johnny Cash’s estate over soundalike ad
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Coca-Cola has been sued by Johnny Cash's estate for hiring a soundalike to sing in a commercial.
PHOTOS: AFP, ST LIBRARY
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Washington - The estate of legendary American country singer Johnny Cash has sued Coca-Cola for allegedly exploiting his likeness by hiring a soundalike to sing in a Coca-Cola commercial.
The estate argued in a lawsuit filed on Nov 25 in Nashville federal court that the soft-drink giant violated Tennessee’s right of publicity law by using a Cash impersonator in a college football-themed advertisement.
Spokespeople for Coca-Cola and attorneys for Cash’s estate did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the complaint on Nov 26. Cash died at the age of 71 in 2003.
The lawsuit said that Coca-Cola began airing the ad, called Fan Work Is Thirsty Work, during National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) football games in August.
The estate alleged that the company hired a Cash tribute singer who sounded “remarkably” like him to sing the ad’s backing music.
Coca-Cola’s ad tricked consumers into thinking the Cash estate endorsed its products, according to the complaint, which cited several social media comments that noted the singer’s similarity to Cash.
“Despite capitalising on the intrinsic value of Johnny Cash’s legendary Voice, Coca-Cola never even bothered to ask the trust for a licence,” the lawsuit said.
Cash’s estate cited a 1988 ruling from the 9th United States Circuit Court of Appeals for American singer-actress Bette Midler in a dispute with Ford Motor over its use of a soundalike in a company ad without her permission.
The estate requested a court order blocking Coca-Cola from running the ad and unspecified monetary damages. REUTERS
