Taco Bell must pay Michigan pair $42 million over Chihuahua

[DainBramaged]

A federal appeals court in San Francisco says Taco Bell Corp. is responsible for a $42 million judgment awarded to the creators of the fast-food chain’s popular Chihuahua sales mascot

A Michigan jury in 2003 found Irvine-based Taco Bell didn’t properly pay the dog’s Grand Rapids creators, Tom Rinks and Joe Shields, when it launched its $500 million advertising blitz in the 1990s that popularized the phrase “!Yo quiero Taco Bell!”


After the verdict, Taco Bell blamed advertising agency TBWA Chiat/Day for stiffing the dog’s creators and sued the ad agency.


The 9th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals Friday upheld a lower court’s ruling making Taco Bell responsible.


Louisville, Ky.-based Yum Brands Inc. owns Taco Bell.


http://www.freep.com/article/20090126/NEWS06/90126080/Taco+Bell+must+pay+Mich.+pair+$42M+over+Chihuahua

[Deja Q]

1. For a moment there, I thought the suit was about using Chihuahua as meat

*sigh of relief*

[Xipe Totec]

6. For false advertisement, actually,

they didn't use Chihuahuas as meat.

[BreweryYardRat]

11. No, that was the Aztecs and other Native Mexicans.

And every time some of my roommates' friends bring their spoiled (it growls at people and barks its head off) Chihuahua over, I'm tempted to get in touch with my inner Native Mexican.

Okay, I'm kidding, but seriously, that thing's fucking annoying.

[bridgit]

2. That is *a lot* of little packets of hot sauce

[DainBramaged]

3. I love how Taco Smell tried to lawyer their way out of paying these guys

Now, $43 million PLUS attorney's fees stands. How fucking dumb. I bet the price of tacos goes up tomorrow. Ain't no insurance paying this one.

[bridgit]

5. Nope, that's pay for services rendered and I would not care to have to pay the legal fees...

I bet they alone show up en mass/in-bulk and filling the inside of a rubie encrusted steamer trunk = Pay Up, Sucka!! x(

[johncoby2]

4. WOW! That must have been a pretty bad claim!

That is a lot of dough! But it is funny that they attempted to blame their ad agency.

[LisaM]

7. Things are looking up for Michigan's economy every day!

First the guy who made Aretha's hats gets swamped with orders and now this!

And Michigan can use it.

[Sultana]

8. Who the fuck eats at Taco Bells?

It's food poisoning waiting to happen.

[Initech]

10. I've been referring to it as "Taco Hell"

:puke:

[cynatnite]

12. I get a hankering for one of their crappy tacos from time to time. n/t

[MagickMuffin]

9. Taco Bell aurgued in Court the Chihuahua didn't have a Green Card

therefore the Chihuahua wasn't entitled to the money!

:rofl:

edit: left out a sentence