Recent AI and deep-fake activity

Not that it needs to be demonstrated, but recent AI and deep-fake developments further demonstrate the need for meaningful Right of Publicity recognition.

AI-generated a “new” song presented as Drake and the Weeknd. Read more on this link: AI Drake the Weeknd song

Deep-fake technology is taking centerstage in a recently filed suit in California. Read more on this link: Kyland Young et. al. v. Neocortext Inc.

A few thoughts on Forbes’ annual top-earning dead celebrities list

Departing from the usual Halloween release date, Forbes issued its annual top-earning deceased celebrities list on Friday, November 13th in 2020. A few takeaways, in no particular order:

1. Unsurprisingly, given the worldwide pandemic, almost all the reported numbers are down. Some may have more immunity than others, and those that went up, like Dr. Seuss were bolstered by television, movie and media deals. Some of that may be one-time bursts.
2. Elvis Presley was closing in on a 50% decline. Graceland, as a tourist destination, no doubt accounts for much of that given closures in 2020.
3. Prince is down yet again another year further from his death, as has been the trend. The summary on Prince mentions only music sales.
4. Those with the misfortune of making 2019’s list due to early departure, XXXTentacion and Nipsey Hussle, are gone.
5. Those with the misfortune of making 2020’s list due to early departure include Kobe Bryant and Juice WRLD. It will be interesting to see if Kobe Bryant is a one-time, one-year entrant or will make next year’s list as well.
6. Not-much-of-a-prediction: Eddie Van Halen will be on next 2021’s list. Though he passed away over a month prior to the release of the 2020 list, that is neither enough time to account increased sales, nor enough time to process his passing into a list that was no doubt already well underway in October.
7. The article includes a statement about its methodology, which includes sources I use when appropriate in valuations.

Last, a word about the often used term “delebrity” in relation to deceased celebrities. I get it, though it’s never really hit me as particularly clever or useful as a term. More importantly, no one I know who actually works with the heirs, family, and estates of notable deceased icons uses this term. It’s hard to take someone seriously who uses this term in their scholarship, publications, or writings. But keep using it, those who do, because it provides a revealing tell.

Here is a link to Forbes’ 2020 list: https://www.forbes.com/sites/maddieberg/2020/11/13/the-highest-paid-dead-celebrities-of-2020/?sh=37a974e03b4b&utm_source=Licensing+International+Database&utm_campaign=b3b89e5adb-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2019_12_18_01_57_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_ec0e484a60-b3b89e5adb-397655773&mc_cid=b3b89e5adb&mc_eid=a31363c945

Is it okay for Antonio Brown to release a song called “Andrew Luck?”

Sorry to disappoint anyone expecting this blog entry’s title to be answered here, but for a number of reasons, it isn’t. The question can certainly be raised though. Former Steelers, Raiders and Patriots wide received Antonio Brown has released a song or track entitled “Andrew Luck,” which opens with audio from Andrew Luck’s press conference announcing his retirement, and including a repeated refrain with the lyrics:

I got the game and I’m not on stuck
I’m out the way like Andrew Luck
Everybody callin’ my phone, shut up

A while back, Outkast released a song called Rosa Parks. Litigation ensued and Parks won. In short, the song wasn’t about Rosa Parks and the title was deemed a violation of Rosa Parks’ rights. Paraphrasing, a great line from that decision was that “crying artist does not confer carte blanche” to use a person’s name in a way that does not relate to the song, but which certainly serves to bring attention to the track.

There are various other examples. Logic released a song called “Keanu Reeves” which, interestingly and perhaps significantly, does not actually even reference Reeves. Instead, the connection, such as it is, refers to “the one” like Keanu Reeves, which of course is a reference to Reeves’ character Neo in the Matrix film franchise.

The legal test that likely applies best to these facts is the Rogers test, from litigation brought by Ginger Rogers in response a film named “Fred and Ginger.” Rogers lost the claim on the basis that the title was relevant to the film’s title and not simply a ploy to attract attention from Rogers’ name. Conversely, the same test was applied to Outkast’s release of a track called “Rosa Parks.” The lyrics were not about Rosa Parks, and it was determined to be a violation of Parks’ rights and an effort simply to attract attention to the song.

So I’ll leave it to you to decide if Brown’s song “Andrew Luck” is fair, appropriate or permissible, or if it fails the Rodgers test as Outkast’s song did a while back. I expect we’ll never really have this question answered, but it is an interesting reference point to consider in any event.

Here’s a link to the video and a recent interview with Antonio Brown:  Antonio Brown releases track named Andrew Luck

Jason Mraz lawsuit illustrates important takeaways

The lawsuit filed by Jason Mraz against MillerCoors, filed December 4, 2019 illustrates various important points and takeaways.  View the complaint here:  Jason Mraz v. MillerCoors complaint

Reportedly, MillerCoors was a sponsor of the 2019 BeachLife Festival in California where Jason Mraz performed.  His performance of course included one of his hit songs, I’m Yours.  The complaint alleges that MillerCoors posted an advertisement on Instagram for Coors.  The advertisement includes a clip of Mraz performing the song, the Coors logo, display of a can of Coors Light, the phrase “presented by Coors Light,” and in the comments, the added statement “Kicking off summer with the World’s Most Refreshing Beer at the BeachLife Festival.”

While a complaint is not the same as a ruling, at least two of the important takeaways from this case are:

1. Social media is advertising.
2. Sponsors do not acquire broad rights to third-party intellectual property simply by serving as a sponsor.

Both of these issues come up with some regularity in the business of representing a rights owner and the right of publicity.  Claiming that a social media post is somehow different from advertising on the basis that it is a fluid, user-controlled environment, or that serving as a sponsor entitles the sponsor to utilize the rights of anyone other than the party they are in contract with as a sponsor, both can lead to serious problems.

Larry Bird mural presents interesting scenario for IP analysis

Not that it would happen, but I can imagine providing the scenario in the following link as a law school exam:  Larry Bird mural

https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/nba/larry-bird-wants-tattoos-removed-from-street-artists-mural-of-him/ar-AAG5jpx?ocid=spartanntp

It does not appear headed towards legal action, but hypothetically, how could this go?  On the copyright front, is it a fair use?  A derivative work?  Does adding tattoos that Bird obviously does not have change the copyright analysis?

On the Right of Publicity front, or perhaps on the privacy front, what issues exist?  Is it a commercial use?  Is it protected by statute?  Are there issues involved here that sway the analysis in one direction or the other?

FTC endorsement guide

Here is a link to an article addressing the FTC’s guidelines for celebrity endorsements in the online and social media environment.  Social media in particular brings a host of unique issues.  The article on this link could be a useful reference:  https://www.lexology.com/library/detail.aspx?g=34a6631e-563d-4546-bcbd-0c8c15f4ad07&utm_source=lexology+daily+newsfeed&utm_medium=html+email+-+body+-+general+section&utm_campaign=lexology+subscriber+daily+feed&utm_content=lexology+daily+newsfeed+2019-05-13&utm_term=

Columbia Law School’s Right of Publicity Roundtable

Looking forward to participating in Columbia Law School’s “Right of Publicity Roundtable” tomorrow.  The event is an invitation-only symposium of academics, executives from various industries, SAG-AFTRA, private practice attorneys, as well as a comments from an accomplished actor speaking on the need for meaningful Right of Publicity recognition.

Here is a link to the event:  http://www.law.columbia.edu/events/right-publicity-roundtable

Muhammad Ali lawsuit against Fox for Super Bowl LI promo

Muhammad Ali’s representatives have filed a $30 million lawsuit on behalf of Muhammad Ali Enterprises (MAE) against Fox Broadcasting Company.  The suit centers around a three minute promotional ad for Super Bowl LI which ran before the Super Bowl in 2017.  The spot includes various other personalities, past and present, in addition to Ali who is the focal point.

Here is a link to the complaint:

Thelonius Monk suit illuminates risk in craft beer labels

The rise in craft brewing labels has been accompanied by a custom in the industry to develop colorful names and labels.  While this dynamic creates the likelihood of infringements occurring, a recent lawsuit filed by the estate of Thelonius Monk involves additional considerations and backstory.

The North Coast Brewing Company apparently has produced its Brother Thelonious ale for about ten years.  Initially, permission was given verbally by the Monk estate.  Some degree of profits were to be given to the Thelonius Monk Institute of Jazz, a nonprofit music education program in D.C.  The dispute seems to involve activities beyond the anticipated use that was authorized verbally.

That said, it seems likely that the craft brewing industry has the potential to yield similar disputes involving iconic personalities.  For practitioners working with craft breweries, or the breweries themselves, this lawsuit could be instructive.

Here is a link to more details and an image of the Brother Thelonius label:

http://www.sfgate.com/beer/article/Thelonious-Monk-estate-sues-North-Coast-Brewing-12162234.php

Article on Canadian Right of Personality

The following link leads to a useful article on Canadian personality rights (equivalent to the Right of Publicity in the U.S.):  http://www.americanbar.org/publications/landslide/2016-17/november-december/protecting_professional_athletes_personality_rights_canada.html

NCAA’s Right of Publicity petition to U.S. Supreme Court denied

Earlier this week, the NCAA’s petition to the U.S. Supreme Court concerning the case of Keller v. Electronic Arts Inc., 724 F.3d 1268 (9th Cir. 2013) was denied.  The author of http://www.RightofPublicity.com joined SAG in filing an amicus brief in that case at the lower court level, and the Ninth Circuit’s ruling and analysis were correct under the circumstances.

Electronic Arts, for its part, had already settled the case.  The NCAA petitioned the Supreme Court to adopt the Rogers Test to determine use of the Right of Publicity of student athletes in video games and to overturn the determination that the use of the athletes in the video game was not protected by the First Amendment.

The Rogers Test was devised as an analysis for titles and would have been entirely wrong for the Keller case.  It is surprising the Rogers test was even suggested, except perhaps it was believed that if adopted the result would be something the NCAA preferred.

The Ninth Circuit’s application of the Transformative Use test was the correct test for the use and issues in question.  We don’t need the U.S. Supreme Court to assist in determining that a test devised for titles should not be used in a case like Keller.