The popular ETrade “talking baby” campaign has come under fire from none other than Lindsay Lohan, who is suing the company for defamation over the use of “her name” in one of the commercials.
The Commercial
The ad in question shows the now famous talking baby apologizing to his “girlfriend” for not calling, saying it was because he was online, trading on ETrade. The girlfriend asks suspiciously if “that milkaholic, Lindsay” was over, and another baby’s head pops onto the screen saying, “milk-a-what?”
The Lawsuit
Lohan’s lawyers have claimed that using the name Lindsay in a television advertisement indicated their client because it referenced her public persona, and that her name has one-word consumer recognition, like “Oprah” or “Madonna,” according to an article by TMZ.
While Etrade has not commented on the suit, Grey Group, the advertising firm that produced the TV spot, has denied that the suit has any basis, saying that Lindsay is a very popular name and was picked randomly.
Media Boost
Because the commercial first aired during the Super Bowl and throughout the Olympics, the Lohan camp has asked for $100 million from the company for compensation for the profits they received using her name.
Whatever happens with the lawsuit, it has definitely created a lot of press for both ETrade and Lohan. According to one article, YouTube has reported that the commercial in question has received 700,000 views since the lawsuit was filed. If people didn’t associate the “milkaholic” in the ad with Lindsay Lohan before, they certainly do now.
