jeudi 31 janvier 2008

Sarkozy and Bruni care for copyright

French President Nicolas Sarkozy and his girlfriend, Carla Bruni, decided to take legal action against Ryanair for violation of their right of privacy and illegal use of their image.
The Irish low-cost company had used a picture of the couple without authorization. On an ad, the model-turned singer is pictured smiling dreamily while thinking ‘With Ryanair, my whole family can come to my wedding.’
The airline company has since apologized publicly. "It was a humorous comment on a matter of great public interest in France. We apologize sincerely for any offence caused," said a Ryanair spokeswoman in Dublin.
Sarkozy seeks a symbolic sum of one euro in damages while Bruni, the model-turned-singer, demands 500.000 euros.
The Elysee spokesman, David Martinon, justified the sum in a news conference Thursday. He said “For the President, it is a matter of principle. For Carla Bruni, it is her job, it is her image, so it is understandable. This time, she suffered financial damage.” The verdict is due on February 5th.
Before Sarkozy, only Georges Pompidou, who ran France from 1969 to 1974, had sued a magazine for the same motive. In 1970, he had been pictured aboard a speed boat for a Mercury advertisement. The caption ran ‘If we have done our best winning most races for the last ten years, it is for your safety, Mister President!’
The ad was finally forbidden, but because the magazine on which it was supposed to be published had already been printed, the distributors were asked to tear up the page featuring the ad.

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