Bob Marley predicted to gross over $1 billion by 2012
The private equity firm that purchased a controlling share in the intellectual property rights pertaining to Bob Marley is predicting that gross revenue associated with Bob Marley could surpass $1 billion by 2012.
The revenue predictions are based on pending deals featuring Bob Marley in the electronics, video game, beverage and skin care product categories. It also is interesting to note that this firm, Hilco Consumer Capital, has also announced its first-phase plan to crack down on unauthorized uses of Bob Marley’s name, image and likeness. In a down economy, pursuit of unauthorized uses coupled with the potential of litigation can be an effective supplement to the accounts receivable column.
If the estimates ring true, the reported acquisition price of $20 million will prove to have been a good investment. Here is a link to the story:
http://money.cnn.com/2009/11/20/news/companies/bob_marley.fortune/index.htm?cnn=yes
http://www.rightofpublicity.com
Gwen Stefani and No Doubt sue Activision over Rock Band video game
The band No Doubt filed a lawsuit against Activision earlier this month. The suit is based on the band’s objection to the use of the band members as avatars which game users can use to perform songs other than the band’s own material. The suit references the possibility of the band’s front person, Gwen Stefani, being made to perform the Rolling Stones’ Honky Tonk Woman, the lyrics of which reportedly are offensive to Stefani.
Some may recall the suit filed by Courtney Love against Activision, over the potential use of Kurt Cobain being made to perform music that Cobain would have objected to on artistic grounds.
An interesting twist to the No Doubt case is that the band had a contract with Activision for certain uses of the band and its music. Apparently the dispute is about the other uses a game player can make of the No Doubt characters. Recent draft right of publicity legislation reflects the video game industry’s lobbying efforts to make disputes such as the No Doubt lawsuit a thing of the past. In an effort to align video games with other statutorily-exempted uses, the lobbyists for the video game industry would like video games to be considered a protected medium and not subject to liability for right of publicity claims.
Here is a link to one of many articles reporting the story: http://www.shacknews.com/onearticle.x/61134
Nelson Mandela and the $24 Mandela Burger
Time Magazine has recently reported on a “Mandela Burger” offered by a cafe in Copenhagen, named after Nelson Mandela.
What is not articulated in the Time coverage is that the Cafe itself is named Cafe Mandela. If a “Mandela Burger” is an actionable violation, so too is “Cafe Mandela.”
Mandela and his Foundation are based in South Africa, and the cafe is based in Denmark.