Paddy Power has been threatened with legal action by Manchester United caretaker boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer for using a photo of him in an ad without his consent.
The bookie used an image of Solskjaer in a Brexit-inspired dig at Theresa May to promote bets on the Norwegian getting the United job on a permanent basis.
The ad, which appeared in the London Evening Standard, featured an image of Solskjaer clapping alongside a message that read, “Theresa, time to try the Norwegian model”, while advertising odds of 1/16 on him becoming Jose Mourinho’s permanent successor.
Solskjaer, who was shown the ad during an interview with Scandinavian news outlet NRK, said: “They will have big problems with me. It is a betting company. I should not have anything to do with it. I promise you I will send this to my lawyer.”
Solskjaer’s lawyer, Erik Flagan, said the company would be treating the matter very seriously. “This is illegal. The use of personal images in a commercial context without the consent of the depicted is illegal both in Norway and England.
“In this type of case, it is common to first prohibit and demand compensation. This is done routinely on behalf of Solskjaer in all such cases.”
Paddy Power, the one-time enfant terrible of the ad industry, has managed to steer away from controversy of late – it has not had an ad banned for nearly 18 months. However, it did raise a few eyebrows with its recent campaign featuring Ryan Giggs’ brother Rhodri, accompanied with the slogan ‘Loyalty’s dead. Live for rewards’.
Related stories
Oops, critics left red-faced over Paddy Power campaign
Paddy Power hits the deck as ASA batters racist ad
Paddy Power on the ropes over ‘racist’ Mayweather ad
‘Distasteful’ Paddy Power footie ad given all-clear
F**k off Blatter ad gets thumbs up
Paddy Power finally tosses off ad ban
