Sony Suing "Kevin Butler" aka Jerry Lambert

Hyperglide · 10-07-2012, 01:05 PM

Apparently Sony doesn't like it when their former employees advertise for their competitors with subterfuge, even though it's for a non-electronic company.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kotaku

Following a bizarre turn of events and a highly unlikely TV commercial, actor Jerry Lambert - for years the "face" of the PlayStation brand - is being sued, along with Bridgestone, by none other than Sony itself.

Lambert was one of the actors in a commercial for Bridgestone tires in which the company was giving away Nintendo Wiis with some tire purchases. Even though the commercial was ostensibly about tires, since they prominently features the Wii and Wii games, Sony seems to think this is a bad thing.

More details at the link.

TrackZero · 10-07-2012, 05:47 PM

Well, that's one way to let your legal department show PR who's boss...

Widgetcraft · 10-07-2012, 06:54 PM

Seriously? There isn't a more PR-friendly way to handle this? Naa, just sue the fucker; good idea.

MagGnome · 10-07-2012, 07:17 PM

I didn't know that Kevin Butler was a persona, interesting...I always enjoyed those commercials. It's a shame they stopped making them.

tacitus · 10-07-2012, 08:13 PM

They would have been smart just to sue Bridgestone if they really insisted on legal actions. However, this is Sony, where PR is an afterthought.

Stmfuller · 10-07-2012, 08:58 PM

So, once you leave Sony forget about working ever again?

Savok · 10-07-2012, 09:35 PM

Sometimes I wonder if there's some reward for being the biggest asshole in this industry.

Also that link went to Kotaku, now I have to format.

Hawkzombie · 10-07-2012, 09:37 PM

Now to publicisze this, they need a new commercial. Kevin Butler. VP of Getting Sued by Himself.

Make it happen, Sony. Make it happen.

Wolvie · 10-07-2012, 10:12 PM

Boooooooooooo, Sony! BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! You suck!

Vigil80 · 10-07-2012, 10:41 PM

This rings of corporate shenanigans.

There was probably a moment for Butler/Lambert to think, "Wait, this might be a bad idea." But Sony, plodding megacorp that they are, have created what I bet will be a bigger problem for themselves than if they had just let it slide.

johnperkins21 · 10-07-2012, 11:15 PM

What the OP leaves out is that it was Lambert's ad company that did the Bridgestone ad. He should have known better, and Sony absolutely should sue him and his company for it.

Xerxes · 10-08-2012, 12:16 AM

I think they still do those ads mostly online. What odd though, is it like they don't want the guy to ever act again, or he can't like videos games on commercials again. His contract has to look weird.

Gwinny · 10-08-2012, 02:38 AM

Quote:

Sony has told Kotaku the suit is being filed because "Use of the Kevin Butler character to sell products other than those from PlayStation misappropriates Sony's intellectual property, creates confusion in the market and causes damage to Sony".

Watching the original ad, it doesn't seem like Lambert is playing Kevin Butler. I mean he... looks the same... because it's his face. But it's not like Daniel Craig gets sued by EON for acting in non-Bond films.

GoNintendo's headline doesn't help. And while I'd probably say, "Hey it's the guy who played Kevin Butler", I'm not an idiot so it wouldn't confuse me to the point of damaging my brand awareness.

What is Lambert supposed to do? Wear a mask for the rest of his life?

muddi900 · 10-08-2012, 04:10 AM

I am not an idiot is not really an argument. Even if we accept that, can you guarantee everybody else in not an idiot?

Gwinny · 10-08-2012, 05:19 AM

The implication being Sony is a stupid head and has a stupid face.

But really now I'm most upset that EON isn't guarding me against thinking Tomb Raider is part of the Bond franchise.

MagGnome · 10-08-2012, 05:43 AM

I see MAG in the background of that image in the OP. Whatever happened to that game? It had a lot of hype, it came out, and then...nothing?

JayVe · 10-08-2012, 05:46 AM

Sony should sue Sony for ruining Sony's image.

Gorvi · 10-08-2012, 05:57 AM

The story is supposed to be that Lambert had a clause in his contract that prohibited him from supporting, or even looking to support, any other video game hardware for X amount of time. He was shown playing a Wii in the commercial, thus breaching the terms of that contract.

I know, this is really hard to understand, but that's an important part of the story that should have been in the OP.

Savok · 10-08-2012, 06:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MagGnome

I see MAG in the background of that image in the OP. Whatever happened to that game? It had a lot of hype, it came out, and then...nothing?

All hype no substance. See RAGE, Brink, every other shooter in the last decade.

Widgetcraft · 10-08-2012, 06:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gorvi

The story is supposed to be that Lambert had a clause in his contract that prohibited him from supporting, or even looking to support, any other video game hardware for X amount of time. He was shown playing a Wii in the commercial, thus breaching the terms of that contract.

I know, this is really hard to understand, but that's an important part of the story that should have been in the OP.

I don't doubt that Sony is in the right legally, but that just doesn't matter. You don't sue your spokesman. It's bad for business.

10-07-2012, 05:47 PM	#2
TrackZero Sr. Features Editor Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Toronto, Canada Posts: 4,213 Blog Entries: 6	Well, that's one way to let your legal department show PR who's boss... __________________ Sr. Features Editor, Colony of Gamers Gamertag - TrackZero PSN ID - Tray-Kuh-Ze-Ro [twitter][giantbomb]

10-07-2012, 06:54 PM	#3
Widgetcraft A *** in the machine. Join Date: Oct 2008 Posts: 11,704 Blog Entries: 2	Seriously? There isn't a more PR-friendly way to handle this? Naa, just sue the fucker; good idea. __________________ Currently Playing: Atelier Totori Plus, Soul Sacrifice Currently Watching: A Game of Thrones, Adventure Time Steam: Widgetcraft Follow me on Twitter!

10-07-2012, 08:58 PM	#6
Stmfuller Actually Accepted Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Downers Grove IL Posts: 3,029	So, once you leave Sony forget about working ever again? __________________ Stmfuller Twitter \| Steam: Stmfuller

10-07-2012, 09:37 PM	#8
Hawkzombie The Lord of Shadow Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Edmonton, AB Posts: 17,345 Blog Entries: 3	Now to publicisze this, they need a new commercial. Kevin Butler. VP of Getting Sued by Himself. Make it happen, Sony. Make it happen. __________________ I have a blog. Go read it! PSN/Steam ID - JaynesHat/Hawkzombie There is the crazy HZ and the well refined logic and reasoning HZ. Both are pretty entertaining -Purple Santa I love that Hawk exists to make every decision I make, no matter how self-destructive, look wise by comparison. -Ox I just realized that for the longest time I've been getting you and Karak mixed up. -fitbabits

10-07-2012, 10:12 PM	#9
Wolvie AKA JayBob Join Date: Sep 2008 Posts: 6,236	Boooooooooooo, Sony! BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! You suck! __________________ Youtube Channel LINK Xbox Live: Wolvie 619 PSN: Wolvie_619 Steam: Wolvie619

10-07-2012, 08:13 PM	#5
tacitus Colonist Join Date: Oct 2008 Posts: 1,514	They would have been smart just to sue Bridgestone if they really insisted on legal actions. However, this is Sony, where PR is an afterthought.

10-07-2012, 09:35 PM	#7
Savok Vulcan Rage! Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Australia Posts: 9,424	Sometimes I wonder if there's some reward for being the biggest asshole in this industry. Also that link went to Kotaku, now I have to format.

10-07-2012, 10:41 PM	#10
Vigil80 Colonist Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: North Carolina Posts: 6,251 Blog Entries: 2	This rings of corporate shenanigans. There was probably a moment for Butler/Lambert to think, "Wait, this might be a bad idea." But Sony, plodding megacorp that they are, have created what I bet will be a bigger problem for themselves than if they had just let it slide.

10-07-2012, 11:15 PM	#11
johnperkins21 Colonist Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Phoenix, AZ Posts: 2,632	What the OP leaves out is that it was Lambert's ad company that did the Bridgestone ad. He should have known better, and Sony absolutely should sue him and his company for it.

10-08-2012, 12:16 AM	#12
Xerxes ONE FUCKING BOX Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: HTX Posts: 20,258 Blog Entries: 8	I think they still do those ads mostly online. What odd though, is it like they don't want the guy to ever act again, or he can't like videos games on commercials again. His contract has to look weird. __________________ 360: Xerxes PSN: ArmoredXerxes Bitch, please. I've gone through the alphabet with more girls than a kindergarten teacher. -Ox My life requires busting faggoty assed bitches like yourself in the fucking face. -Zeal the original Game Boy was the size of a VCR -pronounconnoun

10-08-2012, 05:19 AM	#15
Gwinny was JRR006 Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Chicago Posts: 1,880	The implication being Sony is a stupid head and has a stupid face. But really now I'm most upset that EON isn't guarding me against thinking Tomb Raider is part of the Bond franchise. Last edited by Gwinny; 10-08-2012 at 05:22 AM.

10-08-2012, 05:46 AM	#17
JayVe Kamalot at heart Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Bangalore, India Posts: 7,468 Blog Entries: 1	Sony should sue Sony for ruining Sony's image. __________________ Blog of Adventure Nintendo 3DS: 2105-8651-5073 Xbox 360: JayVe Steam: Kamalot

10-08-2012, 05:57 AM	#18
Gorvi Life is good! Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Dunedin, FL Posts: 18,033 Blog Entries: 5	The story is supposed to be that Lambert had a clause in his contract that prohibited him from supporting, or even looking to support, any other video game hardware for X amount of time. He was shown playing a Wii in the commercial, thus breaching the terms of that contract. I know, this is really hard to understand, but that's an important part of the story that should have been in the OP. __________________ Now Playing: Soul Sacrifice Fallout: New Vegas PSN ID: Gorvi - Steam ID: gorvivelgin

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