Hip-hop icons the Beastie Boys are suing Chili’s owner Brinker International, alleging the restaurant company used their song “Sabotage” in an advertisement without the group’s consent.
According to a complaint filed Wednesday in New York federal court, Brinker at some point after November 2022 produced and published a social media video promoting Chili’s that featured portions of the 1994 hit song. The video also depicted three characters wearing wigs, fake mustaches and sunglasses and stealing ingredients from a Chili’s, similar to the Beastie Boys’ music video for “Sabotage.”
The Beastie Boys claimed the video wrongly implied that they endorsed the 1,230-unit casual-dining brand. They accused Brinker of copyright infringement and of falsely representing their song and identities, and asked the court for at least $150,000 in damages. They also asked that the video be taken down.
Brinker had not responded to a request for comment as of publication time.
The Beastie Boys, who rose to fame in the late ’80s with a string of successful albums, have historically opposed putting their music in ads. Deceased member Adam Yauch, better known as MCA, included the prohibition of such licensing deals in his will.
In 2014, the group was awarded $1.7 million in a copyright lawsuit against Monster Energy for using their song in an ad without their consent.
Dallas-based Chili’s has long featured popular musicians in its advertising, usually in tandem with its signature “Baby Back Ribs” jingle. A pair of TV spots last year starred Brian McKnight and Boyz II Men, and NSYNC appeared in a memorable commercial from the early aughts.
The chain has been in the spotlight lately for picking a fight with fast-food chains over prices. It claims to offer a better value than fast food with items such as the Big Smasher burger, a riff on McDonald’s Big Mac, and bundled meals for $10.99.
Those marketing efforts have proven effective. In the first quarter of 2024, the chain’s same-store sales rose 3.5%, outpacing the average for its competitive set. Brinker is also one of the few publicly traded casual-dining companies to see its stock price increase this year. Shares were up nearly 55% year to date as of Thursday afternoon.
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