Photo: Volvo
According to a new lawsuit filed in federal court in Los Angeles, California, Volvo Group North America LLC is too cheap to pay for the photos they use in ads and guilty of using bullying corporate tactics when they’re called out on it.
Automotive photographer Jack Schroeder and model Britni Sumida are taking the carmaker to court over claims it used their photos without proper authorization, without giving credit and, just as worse, without offering compensation, AutoNews reports. Schroeder and Sumida have a long-standing working relationship and one of their most recent photoshoots had them use a Volvo S60 as Sumida’s co-star.
You can see the stunning shots at the link. If you’re impressed with them, you’re not the only one: according to the lawsuit, Volvo liked and commented on the photos on Schroeder’s Instagram, asking if they could use them on their own social media channels without compensation. Schroeder wrote back to Volvo in an email, saying he was open to the idea of negotiating a license for the pics, but never heard back from them.
He did, however, see the photos on Volvo’s Instagram Stories and Pinterest page, with links directing to an S60 page. By posting these photos, Volvo acted as if they were an ad and that both Schroeder and Sumida were paid under contract. Ultimately, this cost Sumida an actual paid job to endorse another brand, which had requested exclusivity.
Schroeder says he contacted Volvo and asked that all photos be taken down, since they were used without his permission, but the carmaker insisted there was nothing wrong with posting them. As per the same court documents, Volvo went after Schroeder’s production company Porch House Pictures, asking that they remove a video of the photoshoot because it included the Volvo logo.
“They will not cower to corporate bullying or cheap intimidation tactics,” Schroeder and Sumida’s attorney Jeff Gluck says of the lawsuit. Furthermore, they will “seek to enforce their rights and protect their livelihoods.”
Meanwhile, Volvo says it plans to “vigorously defend the lawsuit.” The lawsuit seeks damages, including court fees, the removal of all photos from Volvo media, and measures that it will not engage in “wrongful conduct again.”
You can see the stunning shots at the link. If you’re impressed with them, you’re not the only one: according to the lawsuit, Volvo liked and commented on the photos on Schroeder’s Instagram, asking if they could use them on their own social media channels without compensation. Schroeder wrote back to Volvo in an email, saying he was open to the idea of negotiating a license for the pics, but never heard back from them.
He did, however, see the photos on Volvo’s Instagram Stories and Pinterest page, with links directing to an S60 page. By posting these photos, Volvo acted as if they were an ad and that both Schroeder and Sumida were paid under contract. Ultimately, this cost Sumida an actual paid job to endorse another brand, which had requested exclusivity.
Schroeder says he contacted Volvo and asked that all photos be taken down, since they were used without his permission, but the carmaker insisted there was nothing wrong with posting them. As per the same court documents, Volvo went after Schroeder’s production company Porch House Pictures, asking that they remove a video of the photoshoot because it included the Volvo logo.
“They will not cower to corporate bullying or cheap intimidation tactics,” Schroeder and Sumida’s attorney Jeff Gluck says of the lawsuit. Furthermore, they will “seek to enforce their rights and protect their livelihoods.”
Meanwhile, Volvo says it plans to “vigorously defend the lawsuit.” The lawsuit seeks damages, including court fees, the removal of all photos from Volvo media, and measures that it will not engage in “wrongful conduct again.”
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