The metal band Slipknot are threatening a lawsuit over the latest Burger King ads - sending this C&D style letter to Burger King headquarters and Crispin Porter and Bogusky which the Smoking Gun shares with us. B.K Lawyers posse, in turn, notes that many bands "wear masks and/or make-up to accomplish a mask-like effect, including but not limited to the bands KISS, Gwar, Insane Clown Posse, Mushroomhead, Mudvayne, Marilyn Manson, Los Straitjackets, and the Spits."
I'm wondering if this was just a smart move by Slipknot to get them some more press attention, and the BK campaign.. and...
Wow, I'm way too cynical...
But maybe CP&B people leaked the document to the Smoking Gun because god knows it'll be all over the web in an instant now.
Hat tip to Researcher who was up earlier than me this morning. ;)
The Coq Roq Films:
Burger King - Coq Roq - Chicken Fries - Cross The Road (2005) 0:60 (USA)
Burger King - Coq Roq - Chicken Fries - Ring Tones (2005) 0:30 (USA)
Burger King - Coq Roq - Chicken Fries - Idle Hands (2005) 0:15 (USA)
Burger King - Coq Roq - Bob Your Head (2005) 0:60 (USA)
Burger King - Coq Roq - Chicken Fries - Bob Your Head - short version
Burger King - Coq Roq - Chicken Fries - Bob Your Head - very short version
Burger King - Coq Roq - Chicken Fries - Amplifried (2005) 0:15 (USA)
Burger King has responded to the cease and desist letter and their response is also available on the Smoking Gun website.
On the second page, they deny contacting Slipknot to appear in a BK ad campaign because they were "very interested in reaching Slipknots demographic", rather at that time CP&B contacted approx. 19 bands (including slipknot) "across a wide variety of music genres to solicit individual musicians to appear in spots encouraging young people to vote."
The Vote ads: 
Burger King - Have It Your Way '04 - Ted Nugent - long (2004) 0:30 (UAS) 
Burger King - Have It Your Way '04 - Snoop Dogg - long (2004) 0:30 (USA) 
Burger King - Have It Your Way '04 - P. Diddy - long (2004) 0:30 (USA)
Burger King- Have It Your Way '04 - Eve (2004) 0:15 (USA)
Burger King - Vote - Michelle Branch (2004) 0:15 (USA) 
Burger King- Have It Your Way '04 - P. Diddy - 1 (2004) 0:15 (USA) 
Burger King- Have It Your Way '04 - P. Diddy - 2 (2004) 0:15 (USA) 
Burger King- Have It Your Way '04 - Ted Nugent (2004) 0:15 (USA)
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What!? Those guys from KISS wore makeup!? Another illusion shattered!
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PermalinkAnd they all have Alice Cooper to thank for it.
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Permalinkwhen i first saw the commercial, i immediately thought of slipknot. i'm not saying their lawsuit is founded in someway, but i do know that not only do the members of "coq roq" wear masks, but the masks seem similar to the style of masks that slipknot wears. thats just an observation though.
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PermalinkParody.
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Permalinkyup, I think so too. Slipknots lawyers are a little nuts for sending a C&D, they must have known that wouldn't work.
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PermalinkI usually are darling ;)
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Permalink...am
or something... my language haven't wake up yet
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PermalinkI think it's just addition to the campaign. I mean - it still gets media even when the first impression diminishes. Sometimes C&D-letters is a good way to continue the campaign...
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PermalinkCalifornia has great laws to protect artists.
Sorry, but I disagree. Slipknot is the underdog taking on the big bad corporate machine and being they were contacted and in discussion and refused and Alex & Co. went forward anyway, BK is going to being paying out a ton of cash as Slipknot is well known for this mask effect. Especially if they can prove their fan base is confused over their involvement.
BK better have sold a ton of their disgusting chicken fries because they're gonna pay either way.
As for parody, Danger Kitty (Discover Card) was a parody, this is too close for comfort and I see a huge settlement for Slipknot coming from this. And BK finding another shop...
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PermalinkNote: Pages 1-3 of the Smoking Gun link give the Slipknot side of the issue. Pages 4-10 give the BK side of the story. Enlightening.
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PermalinkBy law you have to serve a cease and desist before you sue, thus why pages 1-3 cite that side.
What is missing is Slipknot's filing.
We have BK/ Crispin's demand for it to be thrown out, but where is Slipknot's filing?
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