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October 19, 2009 11:12 AM

Disney Frowns at "Ho White and the 7 Dwarves" Beer Ad

By
Jim Edwards
(MoneyWatch) 

As an ad, it's horrible. As a PR stunt, it's magnificent. Australia's Jamieson Brewery created an ad showing Snow White enjoying a post-coital cigarette as she lies naked in bed with the seven dwarves. It was intended to go online, in liquor stores and on bar coasters, to promote the company's rasberry ale. The tagline: "Anything but sweet." (Click to enlarge.)

Of course, there's just one problem: Jamieson doesn't own the rights to Snow White. They belong to Disney, which is highly litigious when it comes to its IP rights. Disney, remember, is the company that persuaded Congress to change the law in order to give it 120 years of copyright protection over Mickey Mouse et al.

It is therefore not surprising that the ad has disappeared from the web site of the brewer, who claimed it had a "little bit of contact" with the company.

No matter. The ad has done its job. It's been reproduced all over the world on news sites and blogs.


© 2009 CBS Interactive Inc.. All Rights Reserved.
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