Of all the movie stars, in all the trench coats, in all the world, they had to have him.
Burberry filed suit yesterday to validate its recent use of an image of Humphrey Bogart from the final scene of the film classic “Casablanca.”
The famed British clothing company posted the shot on various social-media sites — including Facebook and Twitter — as part of a “historical timeline” marking highlights since its founding in 1856.
Papers filed in Manhattan federal court say Burberry paid a licensing fee to the Corbis photo agency, and that use of the screen grab “was not directly connected to the sale of any merchandise.”
But the move ran afoul of the company that controls Bogie’s publicity rights, which last month fired off a “cease and desist” letter and allegedly “made a significant monetary demand.”
Burberry sued Bogart LLC to obtain a court order declaring that it has the right to use the late screen legend’s “name, image, likeness, voice, celebrity identity and trademarks” in the timeline.
Robbert de Klerk, managing partner of Bogart LLC, called the suit “a legally unsound bully move,” and company lawyer Michael Crain vowed to “aggressively” challenge Burberry’s “wholesale theft” in court.
Humphrey Bogart, Burberry, Facebook, Manhattan federal court, historical timeline
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