It looks like it isn’t only its controversial AI-generated Christmas ad that’s landed Coca-Cola in trouble this festive season. The cola brand has also found itself on the receiving end of a lawsuit filed by the estate of Johnny Cash.
The estate has accused Coca-Cola of ‘pirating’ the voice of the late singer in an ad campaign. Titled ‘Fan Work is Thirsty Work’, the ad features sports fans drinking Coca-Cola, soundtracked by a male singer whose voice sounds similar to that of Johnny Cash.
But this time there’s no AI trickery – the voice belongs to a Johnny Cash tribute act. According to The Independent, the lawsuit claims this voice represents “a pirated version of [Cash’s voice]” which Coca-Cola used “in a “nationwide advertising campaign to enrich itself… without asking for permission or providing any compensation to the humble man and artist who created the goodwill from which Coca-Cola now profits.”
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