Advertising Law

Taco Bell Loses Chihuahua Dispute as it Fights 50 Cent Ad Suit

A federal appeals court has ruled that Taco Bell—and not its ad agency—is responsible for paying $42 million in damages and interest to two cartoonists who claimed the fast-food giant stole their Chihuahua idea. Two Michigan men claimed they were talking to Taco Bell advertising agents about use of their…

Jan 27, 2009 3:42 PM CST

Solos Cautioned Against Tacking ‘Associates’ to Firm Name

Solo practitioners who pump up their practices by using the word “associates” in their firm names may be running afoul of ethics rules, at least in Connecticut. A report in the Connecticut Law Tribune equates such a practice to embellishing a resume. The paper cites the case of Joseph Moniz,…

Nov 3, 2008 7:47 PM CST

Law Firm Files RICO Suit Over Restaurant’s Menu Claims

A Washington, D.C., law firm has filed a federal class action against the Applebee’s national restaurant chain, contending that its “Weight Watchers” menu items aren’t as healthy as advertised. Independent testing of the Weight Watchers menu choices actually being served at various Applebee’s around the U.S. allegedly showed that “many…

Sep 15, 2008 3:25 PM CDT

DOJ Hires Well-Known Litigator in Google Antitrust Ad Probe

The Justice Department has hired Sanford Litvack, who is a former partner at Hogan & Hartson and a former antitrust chief under President Carter, to review evidence in an antitrust probe of Google’s advertising power. Litvack will help build the case if the department decides to proceed with a challenge…

Sep 9, 2008 11:28 AM CDT

Google Among Web Cos. Tracking Users Without Explicit Consent

Internet and broadband companies are monitoring the Web surfing habits of their users via targeted-ad technology, letters released by the House Energy and Commerce Committee reveal. The companies are doing so without explicitly informing their customers, the Washington Post reports. Leading online advertiser Google acknowledged that it’s now following Web-surfers…

Aug 12, 2008 12:41 PM CDT

New Attorney Ad Rules for La. Lawyers as of Dec. 1

New advertising standards for Louisiana lawyers are slated to go into effect on December 1, but some practitioners feel they could still using a bit of tweaking. For the first time, the new rules approved by the Louisiana Supreme Court will require prior approval of lawyer advertising, by a Louisiana…

Jul 24, 2008 11:14 PM CDT

Rapper 50 Cent Sues Taco Bell Over 99 Cent Ad Campaign

Rapper 50 Cent is suing Taco Bell for using his name without permission in an ad campaign that suggests he should add as much as 39 cents to his name. The ad campaign promoting Taco Bell’s value menu suggests 50 Cent should change his name to 79 Cent, 89 Cent…

Jul 24, 2008 12:57 PM CDT

Lawyer Sues Google for Low-Quality Ads

A lawyer has sued Google for charging him for pay-for-click ads that got poor placement. Boston lawyer Hal Levitte says Google charged him $136 for ads on error pages and on parked domains—Internet addresses that are registered but have no Web pages, CNet News reports. Levitte’s suit (PDF), filed in…

Jul 17, 2008 2:09 PM CDT

Law Firm Sues Over Yellow Pages Ad

The partners of a prominent Charleston, W.Va., law firm have sued the company that produces Verizon phone directories, saying that a mistake in its Yellow Pages ad is costing Neely & Callaghan legal business. Idearc Media Corp. allegedly ran the wrong copy for the firm’s ad in the Charleston edition…

Jun 12, 2008 4:31 PM CDT

Jane Doe Gets to Keep Pseudonym in Suit Over Online Ad

A part-time actress and elementary school teacher will get to remain anonymous for now as she seeks a $5 million claim against a jewelry company she claims violated her rights when it used her image for an Internet commercial that depicts her having a fake orgasm when she receives a…

May 16, 2008 12:06 PM CDT

Appeals Court Says Lawyer’s Ad Seeking Plaintiffs Wasn’t Defamatory

A California appeals court has ruled that a lawyer’s ad seeking potential class-action plaintiffs did not defame a company mentioned in the solicitation. The ad said owners of wood decks using galvanized screws made by three companies might be entitled to compensation or free repairs, the Recorder reports. The lawyer…

May 2, 2008 4:28 PM CDT

Fla. Bar Reverses Course, Allows Lawyers to Tout Avvo Rankings

The controversial lawyer-ranking website Avvo is fighting battles on several fronts in its effort to list lawyers in every state. In the most recent skirmish, the Florida Bar’s Standing Committee on Advertising has reversed course and decided that lawyers may tout their Avvo ratings in advertising, the Financial News and…

Apr 25, 2008 2:17 PM CDT

Restrictive DUI Lawyer Advertising Bill Advances in Tenn.

Legislation that would prohibit lawyers from advertising that they offer discounts for anyone charged with DUI has passed through the Tennessee Senate’s Finance, Ways and Means Committee. Lawmakers are apparently reacting to ads in which lawyers claim to specialize in DUI. “What kind of message does that send? Clearly and…

Apr 23, 2008 11:32 AM CDT

Appeals Court Bars Class Action Against Makers of Light Cigarettes

A federal appeals court has tossed an $800 billion class-action lawsuit against the makers of light cigarettes. The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said questions of whether plaintiffs relied on marketing that promoted light cigarettes as a safer alternative could not be resolved in a class action, the New…

Apr 4, 2008 3:49 PM CDT

Judge Dismisses ‘Borat’ Suit, Says Movie Is Vulgar But of Social Value

A federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit filed by a man who was chased down a New York City street by comedian Sacha Baron Cohen in a scene in his move, Borat. The frightened man, Jeffrey Lemerond, contended in his lawsuit that the movie used his image without his consent…

Apr 3, 2008 2:24 PM CDT