EA Forgot To Get Clearance From Legal
Real brass knuckles. I wonder how much this cost to ship.
In-house attorneys are routinely required to act as the bad guys. They get paid the big bucks to keep their company out of trouble, so they're always telling co-workers "no," or "good idea, but you can't do it," or, when they're in less-than-stellar moods "What are you, an idiot? Get out of my office, stop bothering me with your nonsense, and maybe I'll pretend this never happened."
Marketing professionals tend to harbor the most resentment toward their legal brethren. Clean copy ruined by disclaimers, ad impact destroyed when legal removed the controversial punchline... it's almost enough to keep many PR pros from drinking that second martini at lunch.*
Well, let this be a lesson to those who would ignore or seek to avoid clearing campaigns with legal:
Electronic Arts today contacted game writers around the country asking them to return the brass knuckles they were sent as part of a promotion for Godfather II.
. . .
Brass knuckles or metallic knuckles are illegal in many of the states that they were shipped to. They're also illegal in California, where EA is based. [It may even be illegal in California to ship brass knuckles.]
Doh!
As always, The Godfather provides guidance...
I trust these men with my life, Senator. To ask them to leave would be an insult. -- Michael Corleone
* Who am I kidding? Nothing gets in the way of the two-martini lunch.
[Great find by Poole. Image via ArsTechnica.]