Disclaimer: While the subject matter of this post revolves around Lindsay Lohan, please be aware that I am NOT a Perez Hilton/gossip mag fan, nor did I see Georgia Rule…though I was a fan of her appearance on Celebrity Deathmatch.  Feel free to judge accordingly.

Yesterday, I caught wind of a pending $100M lawsuit filed by Lindsay Lohan v. E*Trade.  I’m sure most of you have seen this year’s Super Bowl ad featuring a cheating baby and his baby girlfriend/mistress – if not, check it out here.  The claim is that in this (oh-so-funny) spot, E*Trade used L.L.’s likeliness to characterize one of the tots, ultimately implying that she (Lohan) was an alcoholic mistress.  To validate this insinuation, Lohan’s people are noting that “Lohan has the same ’single-name’ recognition as celebrities like Oprah Winfrey and Madonna.”

A handful of thoughts on the matter:

1. Oprah? Madonna? Please.  Firsty, how many people do you happen to know named Oprah or Madonna?  Secondly, as (in)famous as she may be, I’m fairly certain that no one would have any clue whom I was referencing if I were to mention “Lindsay” without context.
2. I can’t imagine anyone in America coming to the conclusion that E*Trade was referencing L.L. in their ad without this lawsuit surfacing.
3. If the ad wrongly uses her “‘likeness, name, characterization, and personality’ without permission, violating her right of privacy” wouldn’t filing the suit itself be implicating Lindsay’s character and recognizing these traits?
4. Where lies the fine line between parody and infringement in a case like this and how should agencies realistically maneuver around these scenarios?
   
5. For $100M, you can call me a “milk-a-holic” or any other name in the book.  Have at it (…as soon as I establish my single name recognition).

Very curious (though fairly certain) where this case will land…

SXSW® Interactive features five days of compelling presentations from the brightest minds in emerging technology, scores of exciting networking events hosted by industry leaders and an unbeatable line up of special programs showcasing the best new websites, video games and startup ideas the community has to offer. Join us March 2010 for the panels, the parties, the 13th Annual Web Awards, the ScreenBurn at SXSW® Arcade, the Film and Interactive Trade Show and Exhibition, Microsoft BizSpark Accelerator at SXSW® and, of course, the inspirational experience that only SXSW® can deliver.

Wow. After reviewing this year’s topic line-up, how would one even begin to narrow down a schedule? Talk about the proverbial issue of having your cake and eating it too.

The SXSW® Music and Media Conference showcases hundreds of musical acts from around the globe on over eighty stages in downtown Austin. By day, conference registrants do business in the SXSW® Trade Show in the Austin Convention Center and partake of a full agenda of informative, provocative panel discussions featuring hundreds of speakers of international stature.

The SXSW® Film Conference and Festival is a uniquely creative environment featuring the dynamic convergence of talent, smart audiences and industry heavyweights. A hotbed of discovery and interactivity, the event offers lucrative networking opportunities and immersion into the art and business of the rapidly evolving world of independent film.

The First Ave. Mainroom line-up includes:

• Lookbook
• Peter Wolf Crier
• Jeremy Messersmith
• Romantica
• The Pines
• City On the Make

Check out The Entry’s line-up as well.

Its simple. Its addicting. You click a button and you get connected with a random stranger with a webcam. This video sums it up pretty well:

http://vimeo.com/9669721

It’s a new year, which means new trends in our ever-evolving industry. Guest speakers will be reviewing the 2010 technology predictions, as well as those from 2009.

Sorry, minors, this show is 18+ only.

In a lot of ways, it’s the biggest day in marketing. As big as other shows might be, the Super Bowl is the only event anybody watches exclusively for the commercials. And Pepsi has a long (23 year) history of participating – on last year’s Super Bowl, they spent $33 million.

This year, they’re sitting out.

Instead of that, they say, they’re investing $20 million into “Refresh Everything”, a project that connects the company’s philanthropic efforts with social media. The math works out – it’s a cost savings, and everyone appreciates that in a wintry economic climate.

But the real story is about the industry. With or without economic pressure, even traditional-marketing mainstays like Pepsi have to get the best return on their dollar. Pepsi knows the mass media mega-buy story. With this, Pepsi’s saying that they expect get more value by connecting with their audience directly.