Comments for

Jamba Juice Rips Off "Get Your War On" Comic For Ad Campaign

2009-07-20T20:31:17Z

Jamba Juice has decided to totally bite the style of the popular-among-some comic "Get Your War On" to pimp their lame "cubicle-cation" campaign. Ripping off indie tshirt designers we're used to, but comics? By juice franchises? GYWO creator David Rees responded, "Whoever made this ad is probably a 22 year-old "creative" at some ad agency in Tech Valley, CA. Way to think outside the box, sonny. Have fun snorting cocaine at the nightclub you go to with your friends who work at Twitter or wherever. And no, Adult Swim will NOT buy your stupid cartoon you're developing with your housemates about four guys who work at an ad agency but are secretly lobsters." Nuff said.

No Justice, Part II: Boycott Jamba Juice! [mnftiu.cc]
Get Your War On [Official Site]

Comment from Anonymous on 2009-07-24

2009-07-24T23:29:37Z

Hi Everyone, The clip art images in question were created by Tom Tierney and are in the public domain. Rees, Jamba and countless other folks have used them throughout the years. I think Rees is upset over the ads which involve the two main characters of his gywo comic, the same two cubicle drones appear in some of the jamba marketing --- the ad campaign also uses other Tierney images which do not appear in Rees's work. When Rees started writing about it on his blog he was upset that Jamba supposedly used comic bubbles that he claims to have invented, soon afterward he mentioned he was afraid people would think that he created the comics for Jamba and would be considered a sell-out. Instead of contacting jamba corporate to let them know that the ad agency they hired might have blundered and that he was upset, he chose to get people riled up and angry; over the last few days i have read some really hateful things directed at Jamba...outrage, they are vile bastards, despicable was the headline of one blog which covered the issue, corporate thieves, scumbags etc... I don't think he ever took this thing that seriously, he was having too much fun with his nationwide boycott and national day of prayer to save jambas' souls...and getting way too much attention --- interviews, blog coverage, mentions of support from celebrities figures etc. He encouraged all the knee-jerk reactions and characterizations. verdict: david rees ego fail

Comment from Stickarm on 2009-07-22

2009-07-22T17:16:57Z

This is not a question about the ownership of the clip art, it is an issue of brand identity -- Jamba Juice is mimicking David Rees' comic strips in an attempt to associate itself with Mr. Rees' reputation. His charity work (particularly with the issue of unexploded landmines in Afghanistan) probably carries just enough weight with consumers that Jamba Juice feels they can attract in order to make this sleazy and disingenuous ploy on their part seem worthwhile to them.

It seems appropriate for Mr. Rees to point out in public, as vocally as he can, that he does not endorse and is not affiliated with Jamba Juice.

Comment from fightonraul on 2009-07-21

2009-07-22T00:13:55Z

@Weirdsmobile: Do you know of any other ad campaigns that have used the same clip art schtick?

Comment from Me. on 2009-07-21

2009-07-21T20:57:21Z

@Weirdsmobile: *nods in agreement*

Comment from kompeitou on 2009-07-21

2009-07-21T13:27:59Z

un-funny comic gets made into an equally lame advertisment.

nothing to see here.

Comment from MooseOfReason on 2009-07-21

2009-07-21T10:08:41Z

I love all the flip-flopping on intellectual property.

When you do something it's fine, but when a company does something, ZOMG SOMEBODY SUE THEM!!!!

Comment from mcnerd85 on 2009-07-21

2009-07-21T08:23:52Z

@RedwoodFlyer: lmao I think I love you.

Comment from velvetjones on 2009-07-21

2009-07-21T07:26:23Z

love, love, LOVE mnftiu.

Comment from drjayphd on 2009-07-21

2009-07-21T06:44:41Z

Maybe it wouldn't be so bad if not for their new slogan, "Our New Plagiarizing Technique Is Unstoppable".

Comment from drjayphd on 2009-07-21

2009-07-21T06:43:21Z

@jscott73: So it rates a, what, .77 Bing?

Comment from Scarletmego on 2009-07-21

2009-07-21T05:48:53Z

Have no idea why anyone'd pay $5 for 500-calorie liquid packed with 100 grams of sugar.

You eat your fruit whole like a man, not sip through a straw like a sissy piece of fruit.

Comment from AdviceDog on 2009-07-20

2009-07-21T04:42:01Z

To quote the eminent scholar Bill Hicks:
"Ooh, you know what Bill's doing now, he's going for the righteous indignation dollar. That's a big dollar. A lot of people are feeling that indignation. We've done research - huge market. He's doing a good thing."

[note: It's much better in context and I don't know how this site will handle such a high concentration of blistering 'f*ck']

Comment from Michael Belisle on 2009-07-20

2009-07-21T04:18:11Z

@Skankingmike: You can't copyright sarcasm, no matter how signature it is.

About all he can do is, well, organize a Day of Prayer that Jamba will see the light and realize what they've done is legally defensible but morally questionable.

Comment from seattlemaninblue on 2009-07-20

2009-07-21T04:16:27Z

What's amusing is that this posting is generating all sorts of anti-corporate outrage here and elsewhere in the blogosphere, when in fact if you read the original post (which, I realize, few people do) it's pretty much all tongue-in-cheek.

But hey, it's fun to get all worked up and stick it to the Man, dude.

Comment from West Coast Secessionist on 2009-07-20

2009-07-21T03:32:34Z

yeah. I already liked GYWO but he doesn't really have a case, it's public domain buddy. If he wanted nobody else to be able to use his characters then he should have CREATED HIS OWN CHARACTERS.

Comment from Weirdsmobile on 2009-07-20

2009-07-21T02:14:41Z

While the ad's clearly a ripoff of GYWO, any outrage I might feel on Rees' behalf is mitigated by the fact that the "add your own dialogue to clip art" schtick was already venerable alt-weekly/'zine/blog fodder by the time Rees got to it. In a way, I kinda feel worse for the poor anonymous schmuck who originally drew the clip art -- who, I assume, hasn't seen a dime from GYWO -- than for Rees himself.

Comment from ianodowd on 2009-07-20

2009-07-21T01:50:12Z

Dear every company and advertising agency ever,

Please be original. Ripped-off ads rarely make me laugh. Most of the time it makes me become even more sick of you.

By the way, has anyone actually seen an ad like this... that worked?

Comment from FrugalFreak on 2009-07-20

2009-07-21T01:11:06Z

Anyone else irritated that the comic image can't be enlarged so that it can be read?

Auuugh

Comment from Anonymous on 2009-07-20

2009-07-21T01:04:42Z

@Skankingmike: @Skankingmike: @Saboth:

Guys. It's public domain. Anyone can use it. And that they added word bubbles (as GYWO creator notes, with humor) is not exactly an impossible leap even without having seen GYWO.

WHY would a yuppie juice company want to bite the style of a really profanity-ridden Web comic? C'mon now.

Comment from RedwoodFlyer on 2009-07-20

2009-07-21T00:23:09Z

@jscott73: Even worse is that they tried to ripoff a similar chain by the name of "Baskin Robbins"

Comment from Skankingmike on 2009-07-20

2009-07-20T23:38:03Z

@Sim9: it's partly sarcasm and um.. humor but that would be lost on you...

Comment from dragonfire81 on 2009-07-20

2009-07-20T23:33:34Z

@jscott73: Yeah that commercial totally turned me off BR too.

Comment from Sim9 on 2009-07-20

2009-07-20T23:19:44Z

"The clip art is public domain, of course, anyone can do anything with it … but check out the word balloons! JAMBA JUICE TOTALLY BIT MY GYWO WORD BALLOON STYLE! Rounded-edge text box with single line pointing to mouth? I developed that in 2001 using Quark XPress 4!!"

So... the author is complaining that someone used clip art and rounded circles to create a comic? Am I missing something? That style doesn't sound terribly original to start with...

Comment from jscott73 on 2009-07-20

2009-07-20T22:53:14Z

@joshua70448: agreed, I told my wife the exact same thing the first time I saw the ad, we only go there occasionally to begin with but with two small kids we probably go more then others, now we will go elsewhere.

Comment from Saboth on 2009-07-20

2009-07-20T22:40:05Z

It really pisses me off when corporations steal ideas/materials from artists, or even sample their music.

Comment from Horrid DCD on 2009-07-20

2009-07-20T22:31:25Z

Wow, that comic made me want to stay the hell away from Jamba Juice.

Comment from kolacek on 2009-07-20

2009-07-20T22:18:10Z

Thank you for this.

The shitheads who work in Silicon Valley routinely party up here on the weekends, generously throw blow around and then steal ideas from anyone/everyone they party with. Sometimes it's so blatant I'm surprised they have the cojones to show their faces again.

And if someone actually approaches with a licensing deal (and it does happen sometimes) put on your parka coz it's free snow cones in Hell.

Happy Monday,
E

Comment from joshua70448 on 2009-07-20

2009-07-20T22:02:07Z

@jscott73: That commercial has actually had an opposite effect on me than the ad agency probably desired. Before I ever saw that horrible commercial, I had a neutral/borderline-positive opinion of Baskin-Robbins. Now I absolutely refuse to spend my money there, because that ad annoys me so much. Even if it sticks in my head (like every good ad ditty should), it's just going to remind me of how much I hate that ad.

Comment from Anathema777 on 2009-07-20

2009-07-20T21:49:34Z

@jscott73: @YOXIM: Perhaps I should punch the commercial's creator instead? Do you think I have a chance at the insanity plea?

Comment from jscott73 on 2009-07-20

2009-07-20T21:49:10Z

@futuresuperbowlMVPJayCutler: i have the exact same desire, perhaps we should organize a giant internets face punch for that commercial...it is much deserved and would help us all feel a little bit better about ourselves

Comment from JustinSane07 on 2009-07-20

2009-07-20T21:39:24Z

Jamba Juice employees are paid that much?

Sign my ass up!

Comment from JayCutlerhurtsmyhead on 2009-07-20

2009-07-20T21:38:38Z

@YOXIM: That's so rude. How about, instead of being sassy, you go and help Anathema punch that commercial? Seriously, be a freind. ;)

Comment from YOXIM on 2009-07-20

2009-07-20T21:30:32Z

@Anathema777: Let me know how that works out . :)

Comment from Anathema777 on 2009-07-20

2009-07-20T21:17:16Z

@jscott73: I have a great desire to punch that commercial whenever it comes on.

Comment from jscott73 on 2009-07-20

2009-07-20T21:01:56Z

ugh, this is like the new Basking Robbins commercial where the little clay characters are doing a "peanut butter jelly" like dance and song, very annoying to see corporations take something that was popular because it was fun and cheesy and try to commercialize it.

Comment from Skankingmike on 2009-07-20

2009-07-20T20:53:55Z

maybe he's secretly jealous that his cartoon isn't a short on Adult Swim.....?

Comment from reservoir_dog on 2009-07-20

2009-07-20T20:45:35Z

Shark biters.

Comment from Underscore_Lysdexia on 2009-07-20

2009-07-20T20:44:35Z

@Sonicslasher: Walk like crab! Talk like people!

Comment from OmniZero on 2009-07-20

2009-07-20T20:42:36Z

I've never heard of GYWO before. Now I looked into it. Some good stuff.

Comment from Sonicslasher on 2009-07-20

2009-07-20T20:41:03Z

"four guys who work at an ad agency but are secretly lobsters"

CRAB PEOPLE! :o