Report: Audi settles Chrysler ad dispute with Eminem

So how many of you readers have actually been drawn to new Chrysler products most particularly after the “Imported from Detroit” commercials featuring Eminem? I have and rightfully so. It’s a great ad campaign that’s doing well to reinvigorate the Auburn Hills make. So if it works, you can expect other manufacturers to follow in a similar path that is, until the original creator threatens to sue all who intend to do anything slightly similar. And that’s what Audi and Chrysler just went through.

Detroit’s Eight Mile Style LLC, the company that licensed Eminem’s songs just won a settlement with Audi AG after Audi appeared to have ripped off Eminem’s original “Imported from Detroit” Chrysler television commercial.

“Audi has tremendous respect for Eminem and his works, and likewise for the ‘Imported From Detroit’ campaign which was created by Chrysler, and certainly Audi would never wish to insult or harm those parties or their fans and customers,” said a spokesperson for Audi AG.

The Audi ad had several scenes of a new A6 Avant jolting around the darkened streets of an unnamed German city. The actual commercial hasn’t aired in the US, but has received over 2 million views on YouTube after being uploaded not too long ago.

This is one of the many aspects of the automobile industry that I do not support. It doesn’t help that our country is lawsuit-trigger-happy, but for Pete’s sake “copying” or “ripping” off from another manufacturer happens as frequently as one goes to the Jon. Companies often do this to compete with each other and thus, originality is something that doesn’t come often. So suck it up you bloody bean counters. I don’t see Mercedes-Benz suing everyone who has adopted anti-lock brakes, especially since Mercedes markets themselves as being the first to introduce four-wheel anti-lock brakes in a passenger car.

– By: Chris Chin