Clear Channel faces $1m Times Square billboard lawsuit
Global outdoor media specialists Clear Channel and American Eagle Outfitters are being sued by a New York man over claims they ripped off his idea for an interactive electronic billboard for tourists and messages to post 15 second messages.
Jet Thomason claims he’d discussed his idea with Clear Channel execs just prior to their announcement of an interactive billboard deal with American Eagle.
Both defendants claim that this timing was pure “coincidence”.
Thomason established his own company, “15 seconds of fame”, to realise the idea after a walk around the iconic locale sparked his imagination.
He took this idea to Clear Channel in July 2009 after they had signed a confidentiality agreement, receiving a positive response from the firm which “hoped to make this happen”.
American Eagle subsequently announced plans for their own 15 sec billboard – in partnership with Clear Channel.
American Eagle are subject to a separate $1m lawsuit by Thomason.