"British craft refined over time" ...with a German car as a backdrop.
My car in an advert
- Thread starter Rek
- Start date
Rek
Well-Known Member
I asked for this thread to be hidden as the matter might have been subject to legal proceedings and it nearly was. Here is what happened.
I ask for a jacket - they ignore me.
I find out about the widespread use and the fact their sales went up 400% when the images were used. There are multiple images including a person leaning on my car and another of him trying the door. All good stuff.
I withdraw my offer of a free jacket and ask them to explain themselves.
They (clothing company WP in Bologna Italy) immediately write back by email offering me a free jacket and apologising for the unauthorised use.
I ask for a jacket - they ignore me.
I find out about the widespread use and the fact their sales went up 400% when the images were used. There are multiple images including a person leaning on my car and another of him trying the door. All good stuff.
I withdraw my offer of a free jacket and ask them to explain themselves.
They (clothing company WP in Bologna Italy) immediately write back by email offering me a free jacket and apologising for the unauthorised use.
Rek
Well-Known Member
Rek
Well-Known Member
Next, I get a letter from a firm of lawyers in London (Sheridans). They are lawyers for the Agency which took the images. My claim is derided, they claim I approved use and I am offered.............. a free jacket.
I am having fun now. I am not bothered about any money and an apology would have sufficed, from the agency, but the London lawyers got snotty.
Enter ChatGPT - my lawyer, but I am schooled in law myself.
I write back deriding their derision and calculate a counter offer. £100,000 in damages.....plus, a free jacket.
Various toings and froings in email but we eventually have a Zoom meeting.
They have New Evidence! Eek: what is it. Sworn written statements from the team who took the photos and gave them to the clothing company WP. WP Marketing Dircetor was on the call.
I pointed out that they might not be credible witnesses, a bit like turkeys voting against Thanksgiving or Christmas. This didn't go down well.
The WP Director says the person who admitted unauthorised use was very bad at English. I pointed out that she had read English at Bologna University (the oldest in the world so it appears) competed an MA in the same subject and lived and worked in the US for two years. This went down very badly too.
They got nasty about the probity of my claim so we agreed to end the meeting. The WP Director said that if I was ever in Bologna I should drop in for a coffee. To the unpleasant lawyers I was able to use my favourite Groucho Marx saying "I've had a lovely time, but this wasn't it".
I am having fun now. I am not bothered about any money and an apology would have sufficed, from the agency, but the London lawyers got snotty.
Enter ChatGPT - my lawyer, but I am schooled in law myself.
I write back deriding their derision and calculate a counter offer. £100,000 in damages.....plus, a free jacket.
Various toings and froings in email but we eventually have a Zoom meeting.
They have New Evidence! Eek: what is it. Sworn written statements from the team who took the photos and gave them to the clothing company WP. WP Marketing Dircetor was on the call.
I pointed out that they might not be credible witnesses, a bit like turkeys voting against Thanksgiving or Christmas. This didn't go down well.
The WP Director says the person who admitted unauthorised use was very bad at English. I pointed out that she had read English at Bologna University (the oldest in the world so it appears) competed an MA in the same subject and lived and worked in the US for two years. This went down very badly too.
They got nasty about the probity of my claim so we agreed to end the meeting. The WP Director said that if I was ever in Bologna I should drop in for a coffee. To the unpleasant lawyers I was able to use my favourite Groucho Marx saying "I've had a lovely time, but this wasn't it".
Rek
Well-Known Member
So - I hire a lawyer in Bologna, a specialist in IP and image rights. He pointed out that despte having a cast iron case provincial courts in Italy have been known to favour Italian companies over foreign litigants. His estimate €5-10k. His estimate of his bills - about the same.
He negotiates and WP agree that they will (and have) pay me £10k. Lawyer bills €1.5k and a new buddy in Bologna.
My wife and I are organising a few days in Bologna, probably in the New Year. I will lunch with the lawyer, call on the WP Director and of course.............ask for a free jacket!
Bologna seems to be well worth a visit. Old and classy with possibly the best food in Italy, which for me is the best food in the World. I will keep you posted on the jacket.
He negotiates and WP agree that they will (and have) pay me £10k. Lawyer bills €1.5k and a new buddy in Bologna.
My wife and I are organising a few days in Bologna, probably in the New Year. I will lunch with the lawyer, call on the WP Director and of course.............ask for a free jacket!
Bologna seems to be well worth a visit. Old and classy with possibly the best food in Italy, which for me is the best food in the World. I will keep you posted on the jacket.
Love that line.."I've had a lovely time, but this wasn't it".
Here in the states there was a long time call-in show about cars and car repairs on National Public Radio called Car Talk. At the close of their shows the "credits" always included fake firms that supported them including their attorneys: Dewey, Cheetem & Howe. Sounds like that was who you were talking to, but the UK branch.
Well done on the outcome!
Here in the states there was a long time call-in show about cars and car repairs on National Public Radio called Car Talk. At the close of their shows the "credits" always included fake firms that supported them including their attorneys: Dewey, Cheetem & Howe. Sounds like that was who you were talking to, but the UK branch.
Well done on the outcome!
Have them give you and your wife the all expenses paid trip to Bologna, 15,000 euros, lawyer's fees and a free jacket of your choice. Nothing less.
During the above mentioned Car Talk radio show the hosts, "The Tappett Brothers" would pause and say we will be right back in the third half of the show.
Ray and Tom, smart, MIT grads, knew everything about cars, funny, kind and did I say smart. I mourn them every Saturday morning when I have to listen to some inferior show on NPR about Shrubbery. I say Shrubbery because I am in the middle of our 15th viewong of "Monty Python and the Holy Grail" and just wated that part. Laughing to myself right now.
During the above mentioned Car Talk radio show the hosts, "The Tappett Brothers" would pause and say we will be right back in the third half of the show.
Ray and Tom, smart, MIT grads, knew everything about cars, funny, kind and did I say smart. I mourn them every Saturday morning when I have to listen to some inferior show on NPR about Shrubbery. I say Shrubbery because I am in the middle of our 15th viewong of "Monty Python and the Holy Grail" and just wated that part. Laughing to myself right now.
I love(d) Tom and Ray. I'd hoped to find some digital record of all the shows. I couldn't find that when I looked a few years back. NPR should offer that - I'd pay good money to relive the decades of their show.
From my AI buddy....
Where to Find Recordings:
Where to Find Recordings:
- Podcasts: Reruns of the show are available as podcasts on platforms like Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Stitcher.
- NPR: NPR's website and local NPR stations still broadcast and provide archives of the show.
- Audiobooks/CDs: Collections like Car Talk Classics and The Best and the Second Best of Car Talk are available on Amazon and Audible.
- YouTube: YouTube hosts many clips and full episodes, such as "Car Talk #1739".
Thanks Dick! I just downloaded multiple "Car Talk" shows onto my Spotify. See, you can go home again.
Thanks
Thanks
You can tell both Steve & Lance know those Philadelphia lawyers.....