Weezer have launched a lawsuit against Miller Beer for the use of their name in a recent commercial.
On Friday September 29, the power pop outfit filed suit in Los Angeles Superior Court against Miller and their advertising agency Young & Rubicam, for using their name in a "grossly misleading and deceptive" manner in a 2004 series of print adverts.The campaign was based around using pictures of concert tickets from bands with the tagline "Rock Without the Souvenir. That's Like Beer Without Taste." Not only were Weezer miffed that they associated their name with the promotion of the beer (which Weezer say they "did not, and do not, consent to") but that they were associated with acts like Elvis Presley, Bon Jovi, Devo, Icubus, Audioslave and Velvet Revolver. Weezer claimed these are groups with whom they "do not wish to be associated in any advertisement."
Audioslave have previously sued Miller for the same series of adverts. Weezer frontman Rivers Cuomo is listed as the sole owner of the band's name and is asking for "all profits received by Miller and fellow defendants from the ads in question" plus "punitive damages amounting to three times either the actual damages or the defendants' profits, whichever is higher; and an injunction against any further use of the band's image."
