Remember that awful, rapey Belvedere vodka ad — the one on the right — from a couple of weeks ago? Well, after already sparking the ire of the internet, the story behind the ad makes it all even more disgusting.
Namely, the actors whose images were used in the ad not only didn’t sign off on it, they were never even contracted for a photo shoot or anything. Their images were basically swiped from a YouTube video.
Reports Ad Week:
Actress Alicyn Packard, who appeared in the ad, has filed a lawsuit against Belvedere parent Moet Hennessy, alleging emotional distress and claiming that the company did not have permission to use her image. The image, Packard says, originated in a Strickly Viral Productions comedy sketch in which she starred. Monetary damages weren’t specified. Packard told KTLA, “To be affiliated with an ad that’s so offensive to so many has just been horrible.”
So Belvedere, or whoever they pay to create ad campaigns for them, basically just ripped a screengrab from a random YouTube video rather than to pay for a photoshoot with people who’s know what the campaign is about? Why not just cough up a few bucks to use a lame stock photo? WTF?! Did they think they wouldn’t get caught? I hope this girl owns Belvedere vodka when it’s all said and done.
Here’s the video the imagery was ripped from…