Photog Claims Anheuser-Busch Stole His Ad

MANHATTAN (CN) - A professional photographer claims in court that Anheuser-Busch InBev used one of his photos as the basis for an ad campaign.

Aaron Fallon sued Anheuser-Busch InBev Services and AKQA Inc. in Federal Court.

Fallon claims the beer giant stole his idea of friends unloading an old couch and used it in a popular advertising campaign.

Fallon says he shot the ad on June 28, 2011.

"Defendant AKQA reviewed plaintiff's website which contained the subject advertisement prior to approving him to work on another shoot on September 26, 2012," the complaint states.

"Plaintiff has registered copyright with the United States Copyright Office in the subject commercial.

"Rather than seeking permission from plaintiff to use the subject commercial, defendants created an unauthorized derivative work."

Fallon says both ads feature roommates in their late 20s or 30s who are in replacing a couch; feature a similar expression of the concept of "the end of an era;" and both feature other people finding and taking the discarded couch.

Fallon wants Anheuser-Busch enjoined from continuing to use the commercial, and punitive damages for copyright infringement and unjust enrichment.

He is represented by Danial A. Nelson with Nelson & McCulloch.

Follow @@joeharris_stl

Subscribe to Closing Arguments

Sign up for new weekly newsletter Closing Arguments to get the latest about ongoing trials, major litigation and hot cases and rulings in courthouses around the U.S. and the world.

Email *

Submit