In Hollywood most celebrities receive lavish luxury gifts for hopes that they will be photographed or out wearing merchandise received from luxury retailers. However, high-end luxury marketers for clothes, booze and bling are upset that celebs are featuring their goods or trademarks without permission and making a legal fuss about it.
An agreement was reached between Louis Vuitton and Sony BMG last week. Louis Vuitton was suing the record label for allowing its artists, like Da Brat, Britney Spears and former American Idol Ruben Studdard, to use their company’s signature Toile monogram and Multicolor trademarks without permission in music videos and CD inserts.
In a music video Rapper Da Brat bounced a beach ball with the Vuitton logos, American Idol Ruben Studdard used the trademark in his album’s artwork, and Britney Spears drove a car with a dashboard tattooed with the colorful symbols.
In terms of promotions, many consider this to be free publicity for Louis Vuitton. However, Louis Vuitton does not want this type of free publicity promotions.
“We believe the terms of this agreement will provide strong protection to our brand worldwide,” Louis Vuitton said in a statement.
A spokesperson for the company told the New York Daily News, “We don’t make dashboards,” referring to Spears’ music video.
Sony BMG declined to comment about the settlement.
According to Marvet Britto, the head of New York public relations and brand strategy firm The Britto Agency, “High-end companies like Cristal and Petron liquor and Louis Vuitton want to be the gatekeepers of their celebrity affiliations,” said Marvet Britto.
I strongly agree with Louis Vuitton and all of the high-end luxury retailers who prohibit the use of their logos to protect their brand’s image. It is important that high-end luxury retailers focus more on brand sustainability over image.