This made me laugh so hard that I have to repeat it. Warner Brothers, the studio that puts out the popular Harry Potter franchise, is suing a Swiss condom maker for a brand of protection named… wait for it (although it’s already in the title so I don’t know why I’m bothering) Harry Popper. The little condom on the package wears Harry Potter’s trademark round glasses along with brandishing a wand and a devilish look.
You’d think it would be a major mojo boost for Daniel Radcliffe to get a condom company named after his Harry Potter character, but sadly Warner Bros. disagrees.
The Swiss condom brand “Harry Popper” is reportedly being sued for copyright infringement by the studio.
Gawker.com details the hubbub with a broken-English quote from the Swiss newspaper Bote: “For Warner Bros. is obvious: The sorcerer Harry Potter have a ‘very positive image.’ Condoms have no business there. Especially not now. According to Warner Bros. in November to plan the launch of the new Potter movie. Also a new video game is in preparation. The lawyer for Warner Bros. bluntly: ‘The image of my client is in danger.’ ”
There is no denying the correlation between the latex protectors and the ever-so-popular wizard movie. If the name didn’t do it for you, the illustration of a condom swinging a wand and wearing round-frame glasses will.
But more importantly, is it smart to market condoms with “popper” in the name, anyway?
[From E! Online]
I’m also reminded of an inappropriate but hilarious caption that our friends at The Blemish gave to a promotional image of Emma Watson in the upcoming Dealthy Hallows movie. (Part one of the two final Harry Potter films coming our way.)
The kids are all grown up now and Daniel Radcliffe has even shown the full monty on stage. He surely finds things like “Harry Popper” condoms and erotic fan fiction amusing, but Warner Brothers has a teen-oriented franchise to protect and they’re going to go after infringers. I can’t blame them, although it will make these “Harry Popper” condoms a collector’s item. I know I’d like to get my hands on some.
Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows, Part 1 is out in November, with the final installment out in the summer of 2011. I’ve read all the books but am not eagerly anticipating the movies. The series lost its luster for me with the last film, Half Blood Prince, which I wasn’t able to sit through in the theater. I still haven’t seen the whole movie. You can yell at me now.
Harry Popper image thanks to Gawker. Other images are promotional stills via AllMoviePhoto and The Blemish
I wasn’t aware Warner is selling condoms under the Harry Potter brand. Learn something new every day!
HAHAHA, god.
I’ve read all the books too, and I’m really looking forward to see the next movie, although I will annoy people around me, as always, saying: “NO, NO, NO! THAT’S NOT WHAT HAPPENS! OH, COME ON! THIS IS BULLSHIT!” over and over again 🙂 anyway, I have fallen in love with the actors so.. I feel like I HAVE TO see it.
Popper is the correlating noun to the verb “poppen” wich (coloquially but in kind of a nicer way) means “to f**k”;
got nothing to do with breaking, although that would be real tounge in cheek advertising
I can send you some, I’m Swiss, just give me your adress:-)
I’m a huge HP fan, but totally agree with you about Half Blood Prince-I was only able to sit through the whole thing because a very amusing friend was there with me. It was totally disappointing to see that WB hired the same director for the final films.
I saw part of one of the movies and just – no. As usual, movies made from a book fall wayyyy short. The HP books are brilliant. Well except for the good 40% of Order of the Phoenix that could have been cut. They even manager to finish it convincingly when under standard straight-up fight circumstances Harry ought not have been able to beat Voldemort .. I don’t even want to know how they butchered Half Blood Prince! Oops, I am letting my inner fangirl out ;o)
I can’t wait for them to come out-and I need to see if I can order some of those condoms because that’s just freakin hilarious!
Lawyer’s Suck in general…
and seem to make up any excuse to make their money, dirty dirty money.
I didn’t think it could be so bad … Harry Popper… and by the looks of it they look quite pleasurable as condoms go especially if their that color and have the bobble’s!
Warner should be happy as they are a bunch of knobs.
I love Harry Potter, but this is just all kinds of illegal. Nevermind the idea of using a beloved children’s character to sell a condom. Would be like if they made Looney Toons or Snoopy condoms.
They probably should make Twilight condoms, though, if only because I don’t like the idea of Twihards breeding.
After reading the books I still cannot figure out how HP is a children’s book. After the 4th book it gets really dark. Not for kids under 13 imho. I am really looking forward to the movies, although movies are very rarely as good as the books.
@cb, etc. who enjoyed the books, but not the movies. Have you tried the audiobooks? I went that route because I could listen in the car on my commute. Seriously, it’s worth checking out from the library or itunes. Jim Dale, who reads the American version rocks. I would listen to him read the phone book.
Jim Dale is absolutely brilliant. LOVE his voice work.
But you guys.. you cant compare the movies with the books… Obviously it wont be the same.. I can only talk about the first’s 4 books cus those are the ones I have read. But I cant expect the directors to do exactly what the books says. Its just an adaptation.