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Cash Estate Sues Coke Over Voice Use
27 Nov
Summary
- Estate alleges Coca-Cola used a pirated voice likeness without permission.
- Lawsuit cites ad campaign for 2025 NCAA football season featuring a Cash sound-alike.
- Tennessee's new 'ELVIS Act' protecting voice rights is a key element of the suit.
The estate of music icon Johnny Cash has filed a lawsuit against Coca-Cola, asserting that the beverage giant illicitly utilized the artist's voice in a nationwide advertising campaign. The suit, lodged in Tennessee, claims the company employed a sound-alike to mimic Cash's legendary voice without obtaining consent or offering any remuneration, thereby profiting from his established goodwill.
The core of the legal action revolves around Coca-Cola's "Fan Work Is Thirsty Work" campaign, launched for the 2025 NCAA college football season. Advertisements featured fans drinking Coca-Cola products while a voice remarkably similar to Johnny Cash's performed vocal tracks, which the estate contends was created by hiring a tribute singer.
This legal battle is significantly influenced by Tennessee's recently enacted "ELVIS Act," which specifically safeguards against the unauthorized commercial appropriation of an individual's voice. The estate maintains that Cash's unique voice has only been licensed for use twice since his passing in 2003, underscoring the gravity of this alleged infringement.
