Romero Britto sues Apple

Artist Romero Britto, known for his crayon-bright colors, black lines and bold patterns, is suing technology giant Apple and a London design firm in Miami federal court, contending that the centerpiece of Apple’s worldwide “Start Something New” ad campaign resembles his artwork.

“Romero Britto is a peace-loving guy,” said his attorney Robert Zarco. “He is not one to file lawsuits, but he is being professionally abused. He needs to defend his property and honor.”

The 29-page suit, filed April 6 on behalf of Miami Beach-based Britto Central Inc., claims that the central image in Apple’s campaign infringes on Britto’s “trade dress” and creates unfair competition.

Named in the suit: Apple, based in Cupertino, Calif., and the design firm that created the campaign, Karl Maier, Ltd., composed of Craig Redman of New York and Karl Maier of London.

“They are basically copying Britto’s art and benefiting from it,” said Zarco, who said he first saw the campaign in an Apple store in China and thought the work was Britto’s.

Apple declined to comment on the lawsuit Monday.

In the suit, Zarco asks U.S. District Judge Kathleen Williams to force the company to stop using the offending image immediately. Zarco is also seeking “millions of dollars” in punitive damages, lawyers’ fees and the money Britto would have been paid for creating the image in the first place.

Apple launched its “Start Something New” campaign in the new year and includes images that were entirely “created on an Apple product,” according to the company’s website.

http://www.miamiherald.com/entertainment/visual-arts/article18459359.html