Animator Veitch takes on Coca-Cola over video rip-off - BR Bulletin - Advertising, Marketing, Media and PR news by Email - Brand Republic

Animator Veitch takes on Coca-Cola over video rip-off - BR Bulletin - Advertising, Marketing, Media and PR news by Email - Brand Republic: Animator Veitch takes on Coca-Cola over video rip-off
by Mark Banham Brand Republic 4 Jan 2007

7 Seconds of Love: video for 'Ninja'
LONDON - Animator Joel Veitch is taking on Coca-Cola, accusing it of ripping off one of his videos in an ad made by the soft drinks giant's Argentinian agency.

The advertising agency, Santo Buenos Aries, has been accused by the band 7 Seconds of Love, of which Veitch is also the lead singer, of creating substantial similarities between its television commercial for Coca-Cola and a video for the band.

The video for the song 'Ninja' features a series of dancing cats dressed as deadly Ninjas and children.

Veitch told the BBC: "Whenever someone sees something that looks vaguely like my work, usually it's simply not true.

"Usually it just looks a bit similar, or a style reference to something that we did. After a few weeks, they put it online so I actually saw it, at which point I was filled with righteous anger, and realised it was a slightly different case from the usual."

Coca-Cola said: "We have acted in good faith when retaining the agency and deciding to air the TV commercial. We are surprised by the alleged claim."

Veitch has had a varied career in online content. Last month, the EMI record label Liberty partnered with Veitch to create a viral animation to promote the release of actor Ricky Tomlinson's festive single, 'Christmas My Arse'. The work was posted on social networking site YouTube.

Veitch also works for Tomboy Films, the London-based commercials production company, as part of its viral online division Tomboy Virals, along with viral directors Rob Manuel and Ben Wheatley.

The controversy has echoes of French Connection's controversial advertising campaign last year featuring two women fighting and a lesbian kiss scene. The ad, by Beattie McGuinness Bungay, was accused of ripping off a video by dance act Groovecutters. The band said the ad, which racked up 127 watchdog complaints, was an almost scene-for-scene "rip off" of the video for their top 40 hit 'We Close Our Eyes', which was released in January last year. Both ad and video were directed by director Duncan Jones.