Brands & Merch

Samsung accused of plagiarising Beta Band video for new advert

By | Published on Thursday 2 May 2013

Steve Mason

Former Beta Band frontman Steve Mason has accused Samsung of stealing the concept of a new advert for the company’s Smart TV range from the video for the band’s 2004 single, ‘Assessment’.

Samsung’s ‘Charge’ advert for the F8000 model TV was directed by Romain Gavras, best known for his videos for MIA’s ‘Born Free’ and ‘Bad Girls’, as well as Jay-Z and Kanye West’s ‘No Church In The Wild’ and The Last Shadow Puppets’ ‘Age Of The Understatement’. He has also directed adverts for Adidas.

The Beta Band’s video shows soldiers from different times and cultures, including Roman centurions and ancient Chinese warriors, relaying down a beach with an unidentified object, at one point with army helicopters hovering above. Samsung’s advert meanwhile shows a variety of people, including centurions and cheerleaders, as well as police cars, chasing down a beach, and also includes a shot in which army helicopters hover above.

Mason told CMU: “This is OUTRAGEOUS plagiarism being passed off as original work. But what can you do? It’s happened to The Beta Band before and to many other artists. A huge company or huge artist steals your original idea and passes it off as their own… Very frustrating. The advert will probably win an award!”

Samsung did not respond to a request for comment.

Compare the two videos yourself here:

Samsung Smart TV: Charge (Run)

The Beta Band – Assessment



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