Sid & Marty Krofft Television Productions Inc. v. McDonald's Corp.

Sidandmarty-vs-mayormccheese

Sid & Marty Krofft Television Productions Inc. v. McDonald's Corp. was a landmark U.S. court case that had significant implications for copyright law and the concept of intellectual property. Decided in 1977, this legal battle pitted the creators of popular television shows against a fast-food giant, setting a precedent for how similar, derivative works are judged in terms of copyright infringement.

Background

Sid & Marty Krofft Television Productions, known for creating imaginative and colorful children's television shows such as H.R. Pufnstuf, accused McDonald's Corporation of copyright infringement. The dispute centered around McDonald's creation of the "McDonaldland" advertising campaign, which featured characters and a fantasy world that the Kroffts claimed were strikingly similar to those in H.R. Pufnstuf. The characters in question included Ronald McDonald, who bore resemblance to the Kroffts' Mayor McCheese, among others.

Court Proceedings

The case was brought before the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, which had to determine whether McDonald's had infringed upon the Kroffts' copyright by creating characters and a fantasy world that were too similar to those protected under copyright by the Kroffts.

Decision

The Ninth Circuit Court found in favor of Sid & Marty Krofft Television Productions, establishing that the overall look and feel of McDonaldland bore significant resemblance to the world of H.R. Pufnstuf. This was a significant ruling because it went beyond comparing the two works based on specific characters or storylines and instead focused on the overall aesthetic and thematic similarities.

Impact

The decision in Sid & Marty Krofft Television Productions Inc. v. McDonald's Corp. had a lasting impact on copyright law, particularly in how courts assess the similarity between two works. It underscored the importance of the "total concept and feel" test in determining copyright infringement, which has since been a critical aspect of many copyright cases involving characters, settings, and themes.

See Also

• Copyright infringement
• Intellectual property
• H.R. Pufnstuf
• United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit