Monday, 20 February 2017

WWE News: Sasha Banks calls out Maybelline on gimmick infringement


Does The Boss have a legitimate case for gimmick infringement?
What’s the Story?
WWE Superstar Sasha Banks called out Maybelline for its latest makeup campaign that is similar to her ‘Boss’ gimmick. The tag-line for the latest Maybelline advertisement is ‘Lash Like A Boss’ and features a ring with the word “BOSS” in Gold which is worn by the model in the poster; similar to the rings that Banks wears that say “LEGIT BOSS.”
In case you didn’t know...
Banks joined the WWE through NXT in 2012, but wouldn’t debut her gimmick as The Boss until 2013 when she and Summer Rae formed the Beautiful Fierce Females. Since then, Banks has become one of the biggest stars in the WWE.
She won the NXT Women’s Championship before she debuted on the main roster and became a 3-time Raw Women’s Champion during her feud with Charlotte Flair.
Maybelline’s ‘Lash Like a Boss’ advertisement hasn’t been around very long and has only been in circulation as recent as the past month. There have only been two commercials for the product since its release and they both begin with the caption “That Boss Life.”
The heart of the matter
In professional wrestling, it’s rare that wrestlers are trendsetters, but Banks and the WWE may actually have a case here. Just looking at the advertisement, its clear that there are many similarities between Banks’ gimmick and the Maybelline advertisement.
What’s next?
Though it is interesting that that a makeup company could be potentially ripping off a woman’s gimmick without even using that woman in the commercial, it’s more likely that nothing will come from this.
The terms “Boss” and “Like A Boss” have been a part of popular culture for quite some time now. It would be hard for the WWE to prove anything if it were to take this up in court; which is probably something that’s not on their radar.
Sportskeeda’s take
The timing and release of the Maybelline Boss commercial indicate that whoever was in charge of the advertisement had some knowledge of the gimmick and attempted to get away with it. Whether they will is ultimately a decision for officials in the WWE to make and not Banks.
Tweet speak
Several fans responded to Banks’ thread with various responses including Xavier Woods of The New Day.

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