Moidodyr from 1954 Soviet cartoon
Cartoon advertisement lands Procter and Gamble in court
Published 20 July, 2008, 10:49
A famous Soviet poet’s granddaughter has brought an action against Procter and Gamble for allegedly using a character invented by her grandfather illegally, in their commercials.
The creature under consideration, called ‘Moidodyr’, is a hero of the poem with the same name. It is an anthropomorphic animated washstand appearing before a small boy who doesn’t want to wash.
An image from a Procter and Gamble commercial
Procter and Gamble representatives say the creature in their commercials is not named as Moidodyr and the text of the original source is not used.
The poet’s heir though claims her grandfather Korney Chukovsky described the character to the smallest detail and it coincides with the image from commercials.
Moreover, Procter and Gamble’s representatives had concluded a contract with the poet’s granddaughter in 1997 which gives them right to use the character and elements of plot from the poem. But she says some time ago they stopped paying.
The issue is complicated by the fact that she doesn’t have a copy of the contract.
The next sitting of the court is set to take place on August 18.
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