Grocery Sues College Filmmakers for $1M
August 30, 2007 by Mike Abundo
Filed under Computers
Some n00bs don’t get it: the bad PR averted through overreaching censorship is often more than offset by the ill will accrued through overreaching censorship. Last week, grocery chain A&P fired brothers Mark and Matthew D’Avella for filming their school project Produce Paradise in their store.
Apparently, A&P can’t handle a little thing called freedom of expression. The grocery chain is now suing these two broke college kids for one million dollars and ordering them to remove the video from teh Intarwebs. Note that the video doesn’t even feature the A&P brand. I’ve downloaded a copy, and will mirror it here in case this stupid suit actually gets anywhere.
Kevin Nalts hits the nail on the head when he points out that this lawsuit will only achieve three things:
1. Propel the duo’s video career.
2. Make A&P look like worst than they’d ever look if they left this alone by quietly reprimanding or firing the kids on the basis of poor judgment not defamation.
3. Help someone in middle management at A&P because they’re embarrassed about a few customers complaining, and want to redirect accountability.
On a side note, dig the vid’s references to Charlie The Unicorn and Evolution of Dance. YouTube hits are now cultural references. As many fallen businesses learned too late, you can’t fight culture.
