Slipknot threatens to sue Burger King over mock Coq Rock campaign

by Staff, Brand Republic 19-Aug-05, 15:10

NEW YORK - Metal band Slipknot is threatening to sue Burger King over accusations that the restaurant chain has purloined the band's image for a chicken promotion.

The suit surrounds a new US ad campaign featuring a fictitious band called Coq Roq to promote Burger King's chicken fries. The campaign spoofs metal music, with band members including Fowl Mouth and Free Range, songs relating to poultry, and chicken costumes on stage.

Therein lies the problem, according to Slipknot, which has written to Burger King to complain. Details of the complaint have been published on The Smoking Gun website, which reports that in the letter, the band's lawyers say that Coq Roq has been created as a "look-alike, sound alike 'band' in order to influence the Slipknot generation to purchase chicken fries".

In response to the letter, Burger King and its advertising agency Crispin Porter & Bogusky have filed what is known as a complaint for "declaratory judgement" in a Miami court, seeking to have a judge declare that Coq Roq has not infringed the trademark rights of Slipknot.

A declaratory judgement seeks to establish the legal status or interpretation of a law or instrument of it.

It says that Slipknot's threatened litigation creates uncertainty as to whether Burger King can continue with the Coq Roq campaign and is damaging to its business interests.

Slipknot fans have come out in support of the band, with reports that a message board on the Coq Roq website was inundated with criticism about the campaign. The forum has now been taken down by Burger King.

The band has made its name for its grotesque stage show, and for never being seen in public without their masks on.

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