Model Sues Volvo, Hertz for Portraying Her as an Escort
30-year-old model Carolyn Giles is suing Volvo, Hertz, and the Ford Models modeling agency for using her photos without consent and portraying her as a Swedish escort on a website called Fast Impressions.
Giles, a recent graduate from Columbia University, was paid a one-time use fee to promote Volvo’s S40, but those photos ended up in a number of other locations. The Swedish automaker ended up using the photos in multiple ads in 30 different countries, while Hertz somehow acquired the rights and used them in its rental car ads.
While using a photo multiple times without consent is common in the modeling industry, Giles is most upset when her photos ended up on a website called Fast Impressions, portraying her as a professional Swedish escort. The website also promotes Volvo’s lineup of cars saying that elite members can drive around in new Volvos and then enjoy cocktails with “sexy Swedish models of all shapes and sizes.”
Giles was originally paid $1,000 for the single photo shoot used in the S40 ad, but once word got to her that her photos were being used in several other outlets, a quick search on Google revealed a whole lot more. Giles is suing for a total of $23 million from Volvo, Hertz, and her former agency Ford Models.
[Source: New York Daily News]
Jason Siu began his career in automotive journalism in 2003 with Modified Magazine, a property previously held by VerticalScope. As the West Coast Editor, he played a pivotal role while also extending his expertise to Modified Luxury & Exotics and Modified Mustangs. Beyond his editorial work, Jason authored two notable Cartech books. His tenure at AutoGuide.com saw him immersed in the daily news cycle, yet his passion for hands-on evaluation led him to focus on testing and product reviews, offering well-rounded recommendations to AutoGuide readers. Currently, as the Content Director for VerticalScope, Jason spearheads the content strategy for an array of online publications, a role that has him at the helm of ensuring quality and consistency across the board.
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