Rock band puts the brakes on Porsche jingle
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Songs Music Publishing L.L.C., the band X Ambassadors’ production label, is suing the carmaker alleging that the company created a “fake version” of their hit song "Jungle" for its a commercial for the 718 Cayman to avoid paying royalties, according to media reports.
Songs Music filed its copyright infringement lawsuit on Nov. 28 in U.S. District Court in Nashville, Tennessee.
It alleges that Porsche A.G., with the help of advertising firm Cramer-Krasselt Co., “created an advertising campaign that copies several quantitatively and qualitatively important portions of ‘Jungle.’ The copying of ‘Jungle’ by these practical partners satisfies both the intrinsic and extrinsic test for copyright infringement, and is obvious to any ordinary observer,” according to a copy of the lawsuit obtained by The Fashion Law news website.
The suit lists drum rhythms, organ stabs, and background vocals among the similarities.
Porsche and Cramer-Krasselt’s use of such a similar song is, according to the lawsuit, “blatant copyright infringement, used by these defendants to help sell automobiles, and, upon information and belief, was successful in doing so.”
