Congress has cut federal funding for public media — a $3.4 million loss for LAist. We count on readers like you to protect our nonprofit newsroom. Become a monthly member and sustain local journalism.
This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.
This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.
Chipotle Is Suing Frank Ocean Over Ad
Frank Ocean arrives at the Brit Awards 2013 Feb. 20, 2013 in London (Photo by Eamonn McCormack/Getty Images)
()
Two of our favorite things, Chipotle and Frank Ocean, were supposed to come together in an ad. But now that partnership has resulted in a lawsuit.Chipotle says it paid $212,500 to the R&B singer for an ad campaign, but Ocean backed out and hasn’t returned the money, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
According to the suit filed Friday in Los Angeles Superior Court, Ocean was supposed to record a cover of “Pure Imagination” (a song written by Leslie Bricusse and Anthony Newley and sung by Gene Wilder for the classic 1971 film Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory) for a marketing campaign promoting local and sustainably sourced food, and that it would be an ad for Chipotle, who was a sponsor. Ocean was shown an animated spot that would accompany the song that was about 80 percent done, sans Chipotle’s logo or mention.
Ocean was due another $212,500 on delivery of the song. Ocean failed to deliver the song by the Aug. 7, 2013 due date and sent a letter Aug. 15, 2013 saying why he wouldn’t participate:
“When Frank was asked to participate in this project, Chipotle’s representatives told him that the thrust of the campaign was to promote responsible farming. There was no Chipotle reference or logo in the initial presentation, and Chipotle told Frank that was an intentional element of the campaign. … Frank was also promised that he’d have the right to approve the master and all advertising.”
Support for LAist comes from
Chipotle denies those were the terms and seeks the original $212,500 paid to Ocean, plus additional damages to be determined at the trial.
Last year Chipotle ended up hiring Fiona Apple to do the song instead when Ocean backed out, Pitchfork reported. Apple’s version of the ad, which has more than 12 million hits on YouTube, can be viewed below:
As Editor-in-Chief of our newsroom, I’m extremely proud of the work our top-notch journalists are doing here at LAist. We’re doing more hard-hitting watchdog journalism than ever before — powerful reporting on the economy, elections, climate and the homelessness crisis that is making a difference in your lives. At the same time, it’s never been more difficult to maintain a paywall-free, independent news source that informs, inspires, and engages everyone.
Simply put, we cannot do this essential work without your help. Federal funding for public media has been clawed back by Congress and that means LAist has lost $3.4 million in federal funding over the next two years. So we’re asking for your help. LAist has been there for you and we’re asking you to be here for us.
We rely on donations from readers like you to stay independent, which keeps our nonprofit newsroom strong and accountable to you.
No matter where you stand on the political spectrum, press freedom is at the core of keeping our nation free and fair. And as the landscape of free press changes, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust, but the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news from our community.
Please take action today to support your trusted source for local news with a donation that makes sense for your budget.
Thank you for your generous support and believing in independent news.
Chip in now to fund your local journalism
(
LAist
)
Trending on LAist
-
With less to prove than LA, the city is becoming a center of impressive culinary creativity. -
Nearly 470 sections of guardrailing were stolen in the last fiscal year in L.A. and Ventura counties.
-
Monarch butterflies are on a path to extinction, but there is a way to support them — and maybe see them in your own yard — by planting milkweed.
-
With California voters facing a decision on redistricting this November, Surf City is poised to join the brewing battle over Congressional voting districts.
-
The drug dealer, the last of five defendants to plead guilty to federal charges linked to the 'Friends' actor’s death, will face a maximum sentence of 65 years in prison.
-
The weather’s been a little different lately, with humidity, isolated rain and wind gusts throughout much of Southern California. What’s causing the late-summer bout of gray?
Best of LAist