Michael Jordan is suing both Jewel and Dominick's for the alleged unauthorized use of his identity in their advertisements.
In the suit against Jewel, Jordan says that while a full page Jewel-Osco advertisement in the Sports Illustrated commemorative issue congratulates the basketball player, it "goes beyond that by appropriating [his] persona in order to promote Jewel-Osco's goods and services."
The ad features red and white sneakers each with the number 23 and appear to be an "inaccurate and misleading copy of Air Jordan basketball shoes." It also featured text about honoring the "fellow Chicagoan who was 'just around the corner' for so many years." The complaint then states "Jordan would never permit Jewel-Osco to use his identity in connection with any of [its] goods or services."
In the suit against Dominick's, the complaint states that their ad, which was also in the SI commemorative issue, also congratulates the basketball player on his induction into the Hall of Fame but goes beyond that. Jordan's name and number are prominently featured on a red Chicago Bulls jersey with black numbers and letters outlined in white and Dominick's logo appears twice and "is red, just like the jersey in the advertisement."
The Dominick's ad, the complaint further states, says "You are a cut above" with a photograph of a cut of steak. As Michael Jordan "has long been associated with two fine steak restaurants that bear his name," the complaint states Jordan would never permit Dominick's to use his identity "especially not to sell steaks in direct conflict with his restaurants."
Read the complaints after the jump.
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2 Comments
John Sheehan said:
When you think Michael Jordan, you think "Steak Dinner", right? Not groceries, LINKS cards, money orders and beer. Not Basketball Hall of Fame, for Chrissakes!
Uh, Michael... Auctioning off your name to groceries and your face and jersey number to everything else we bought during your career GAVE you the "brand" recognition that you so zealously defend as your commercial marketing "right" today.
Now THAT's ironic, Ms. Morissette.
Message from Montie said:
I remember a co-worker telling me that he didn't like Michael Jordan. I thought it was so ridiculous not to like someone you don't know. However, it seems like as soon as I defended this cat, he just started doing the strangest things. I'm still annoyed about how ungrateful he was to be put into the Hall of Fame. Never mind his accomplishments and the years he's been off the court. The retirement had to happen for a reason. And now he's suing Dominick's and Jewel's for congratulating him. What were they supposed to do? Make their ad hot pink so it would never be confused with the Bulls? If anything, this is promotion for him once again, in addition to his $200 gymshoes that I never understood why people bought. Hopeless. I hope he loses the case.
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