UK: Unilever in legal action against BNP over Marmite
By: Dean Best | 22 April 2010
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BNP leader Nick Griffin criticised Marmite's 'Hate Party' campaign |
Unilever has launched legal action against the British National Party after the far-right group used a Marmite jar in an online political broadcast.
The jar appears in a four-minute video on YouTube, created by the BNP as part of its campaigning for the UK General Election, scheduled for 6 May.
On its official YouTube channel, the BNP claims the brand has "sponsored" its "General Election Broadcast" and adds: "Thank you to Marmite for lending us your support. You stratch our backs, we don't forget."
The video has prompted Unilever to start proceedings against the party in a bid to remove the jar from the broadcast.
"We want to make it absolutely clear that Marmite did not give the BNP permission to use a pack shot of our product in their broadcast. Neither Marmite nor any other Unilever brand are aligned to any political party," Unilever said.
"We are currently initiating injunction proceedings against the BNP to remove the Marmite jar from the online broadcast and prevent them from using it in future."
BNP leader Nick Griffin said this afternoon that Unilever was "very upset" at the use of Marmite in the video.
"Unilever PR men and lawyers over us like a rash," Griffin wrote on Twitter. "Should have thought of that before modelling the one for their Hate Party on us."
Griffin was referring to the Marmite TV campaign currently on UK television, which features the fictitious Hate Party, seen as a spoof of the BNP.
Sectors: Canned food, Cereal, Condiments, dressings & sauces, Dried foods
Companies: Unilever
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