Sony suing Kevin Butler actor for breach of contract

Sony has filed a lawsuit against Jerry Lambert, the actor that plays Sony’s fictional yet iconic PlayStation executive Kevin Butler in their ad campaigns.

Sony is suing both Wildcat Creek Inc, a company that Lambert is president of and Bridgestone for whom Lambert played a character in their ad campaign that closely resembled Kevin Butler.

In a statement given to VentureBeat, Sony claims Lambert is in breach of contract.

“Sony Computer Entertainment America filed a lawsuit against Bridgestone and Wildcat Creek, Inc. on September 11. The claims are based on violations of the Lanham Act, misappropriation, breach of contract and tortious interference with a contractual relationship.”

“We invested significant resources in bringing the Kevin Butler character to life and he’s become an iconic personality directly associated with PlayStation products over the years. Use of the Kevin Butler character to sell products other than those from PlayStation misappropriates Sony’s intellectual property, creates confusion in the market, and causes damage to Sony.”

NeoGAF user Takao has a detailed breakdown of the case.

Source: Justia, NeoGAF via VentureBeat