Groovecutters accuse French Connection/BMB of ripping off video

Oh no, not again! It seems that the band Groovecutters, is accusing French Connection and its advertising agency Beattie McGuinness Bungay of 'ripping off' their music video for their Kung-fu lesbian TV/Cinema ad that starting airing in the UK on Sunday and made headlines because of the number of complaints it had received.

Kev Keane, one of Groovecutters, said: "It's such a rip-off. I am not even sure if FCUK know how much of a copy it is. Would they have approved it if they knew it was not specially created for them to spearhead their £2m campaign.

"It just makes me laugh that something that was created for our track has been changed into something that symbolizes French Connection's latest corporate message."

From the Groovecutter's website:

You may have seen the new French Connection advert on TV or in the cinema and thought you were experiencing a case of deja-vu. Indeed you are.....its a rip off of our 'We Close Our Eyes' video! The video was made by the same guys, stars the same girls, doing the same moves, in the same location. Our label, Virgin, we not aware of the 'bootleg' video and have got the legal department on the case. It would have been nice for them to use the music too....instead they went with some very odd classical/opera piece.....Cutting edge, controversial, provocative - FCUK you are soooo SS05, Groovecutters were there a year ago!

Below we have screenshots of both films side by side. The ones on the left are from the Groovecutters video. The images on the right are from the French Connection ad.

You can see the French Connection spot here and Groovecutter's video here.