Eveready beats drums of protest over parody of Energizer bunny.

Eveready beats drums of protest over parody of Energizer bunny 

Foote, Cone & Belding Communications Inc. came up with a commercial recently for Coors Light that uses actor/spokesman Leslie Nielsen, dressed in bunny ears and banging a drum, imitating the Energizer rabbit.

The Nielsen ad has yet to run, and has in fact been shelved, at least temporarily. The reason - Eveready, which has made a name for itself with its award-winning Chiat/Day/Mojo spots that poke fun at everyone else's ads, is harried over Nielsen's spoof of their Energizer bunny!

Yes, they can dish it out, but they can't take it.

The Energizer ads began as a sort of takeoff on Duracell commercials, in which a toy powered by Duracell batteries outlasted toys using other brands.

Eveready got into the act, with an ad from DDB Needham claiming Energizer hadn't been invited to the contest, so its battery-powered, drum-beating pink rabbit pushed its way in. Later, Chiat/Day expanded on the idea, and the bunny began invading a series of other fake commercials, many of which are spoofs of ads for other products.

"We were somewhat surprised that they would have an objection when they parody other people's commercials," said Todd Appleman, spokesman for Adolph Coors Co.

Granted, in the Eveready ads, it's usually not clear which particular brand name is being spoofed; but lighten up, people!

Appleman said the Nielsen ad, which has been filmed but not edited into final form, starts in a serious mode, with Coors Light being poured into a mug, as the announcer describes the beer's attributes. Then Nielsen interrupts the ad, dressed as a rabbit and pounding a drum. He tells the audience that Coors is "the official beer of the |90s." An announcer adds: "Coors Light. It just keeps growing and growing and growing. . . ."

"It is essentially a parody of the Eveready ad," said Appleman. "He (Nielsen) is obviously not a bunny; he's a human being doing a parody of their bunny. He is the master of parody."

Appleman said Coors has put the commercial on hold while it negotiates with Eveready and its parent company, Ralston-Purina Co.

"There's a trademark issue here," said Ralston-Purina spokesman Pat Farrell. "There is a lot of equity here in the bunny. We're concerned (because the Coors ad) looks a lot like our bunny."

Farrell said Eveready knew nothing about the Nielsen commercial until a writer for Advertising Age magazine called him April 25 asking for a comment on it. Farrell said he then talked to his supervisors, who requested a copy of the ad, which was scheduled to air in a few days. After viewing the ad, Eveready called Coors and said it had "some serious concerns," Farrell said. Coors then agreed to hold the spot and talk to Eveready.

Shirley Sobie, public relations representative with Foote, Cone & Belding, said the advertising agency is "not in a position to talk about it right now."

"Unfortunately, we're just at a standstill," said Sobie. "We're referring all calls to Todd (Appleman) at Coors."

Chiat/Day/Mojo, based in Venice, also declined comment, referring calls to Farrell.

Nielsen's publicist said he wants nothing to do with the flap, and even refused to provide a publicity photo of his client.

Everyone's embarrassed. Few people are willing to discuss it. What should have been a fun advertising campaign (albeit not too original) has turned ugly.

Eveready may be crying "trademark," but it still looks like a glaring example of the pot calling the kettle black, or in this case, pink.