Bridgestone responds to Sony: Kevin Butler wasn't in our commercial
Bridgestone is responding to Sony's lawsuit by denying the Kevin Butler character appeared in one of its recent commercials. Following Sony's allegations over Butler actor Jerry Lambert's appearance in a Bridgestone commercial, the tire manufacturer made a statement via The Hollywood Reporter declaring its intention to fight the lawsuit. As far as Bridgestone is concerned, Lambert appeared in its commercial but wasn't starring as Kevin Butler in any way whatsoever.
"Mr. Lambert is one of the actors who appeared in the commercial as a Bridgestone engineer," reads the statement, "Bridgestone denies that 'Kevin Butler' appears in the Bridgestone commercial discussed herein and thus denies that he speaks or does anything whatsoever in the commercial."
It emerged last month Lambert appeared in a commercial as part of Bridgestone's "Game On" campaign, featuring him playing a Wii and acting in a similar exuberant manner to his PlayStation persona of Kevin Butler. Sony believes Bridgestone and Lambert's advertising agency Wildcat Creek are guilty of violating the Lanham Act, misappropriation, breach of contract, and intentional interference with a contractual relationship. Sony filed the lawsuit on September 11, and Bridgstone has since removed Lambert from its most recent ads. Sony has until October 12 to withdraw the lawsuit, otherwise it proceeds.
