Sony sues Bridgestone over 'use of the Kevin Butler character'

Newsbrief: Sony has filed a lawsuit against tyre manufacturer Bridgestone and production company Wildcat Creek for the alleged use of its Kevin Butler promotional character. Played by actor Jerry Lambert, the Kevin Butler character was created by Sony to advertise its PlayStation products. However, Lambert recently appeared in a Bridgestone advert which featured him playing Mario Kart Wii on a Nintendo Wii, and Sony claims that Bridgestone has used the Kevin Butler character in such a way that it infringes on the company's intellectual property. In a statement to Venturebeat, the company explained, "We invested significant resources in bringing the Kevin Butler character to life and he's become an iconic personality directly associated with PlayStation products over the years." "Use of the Kevin Butler character to sell products other than those from PlayStation misappropriates Sony’s intellectual property, creates confusion in the market, and causes damage to Sony."