Sarkozy & Bruni win Ryanair lawsuit
Tuesday, 5 February 2008 22:23
President Nicolas Sarkozy and France's new first lady Carla Bruni have won their legal action against Ryanair for using a photograph of the couple in its recent advertising campaign.
A Paris court ordered Ryanair to pay Ms Bruni €60,000 in damages, well short of the €500,000 she was seeking for the unauthorised use of her image.
Mr Sarkozy was awarded a symbolic sum of €1 in damages, as he had requested.
The advertisement, printed last week, featured a photograph of the couple smiling while a caption next to Bruni reads: 'With Ryanair, my whole family can come to my wedding.'
The airline was also ordered to have the court ruling printed in Le Parisien newspaper, where the ad (below) appeared last week.
Mr Sarkozy's highly-publicised whirlwind romance with the 40-year-old Ms Bruni was clinched by their wedding last weekend.
Ms Bruni's lawyer had accused Ryanair of harming her image as a 'model, composer and singer of talent', saying she has the right to choose her advertisers.
Ryanair's lawyer had drawn attention to the light-humoured nature of the ad, while presenting the company's deep apologies to the couple.
- Nine News: Tony Connelly, Europe Correspondent, reports that Carla Bruni has been awarded €60,000 after Ryanair used a photo of her and the French President without consent
- Six One News: Tony Connelly, Europe Correspondent, reports that Carla Bruni has been awarded €60,000 after Ryanair used a photo of her and the French President without consent
