Question: Are they mocking you?
Answer: Hell YES.
http://www.coloribus.com/focus/harley-davidson-ads-of-freedom/11320305
http://www.coloribus.com/focus/harley-davidson-ads-of-freedom/11320355/
Another award show concluded, another CCD (Copy-Cat Director) busted. I guess some lessons need to be repeated many times before they sink in so…Here we go again 😉
The following is a copy of the e-mail that I got which I would like to share with you, our dear readers just as I shared it with the Dubai Lynx festival director, it is titled by its writer Y&R Dubai/Shahir Zag: The Biggest plagiarism scandal in the history of Cannes Lions and Lynx.
Harley Davidson Campaign was released on Feb 2008 and start collecting awards and appear in annuals and specialized magazines through out 2009- 2010. by CARMICHAEL LYNCH, USA
Harvey Nichols was released on Oct 2010 and start collecting awards and appear in annuals and specialized magazines in 2011. By Y&R, DUBAI
Y&R Dubai/Shahir Zag, have took the industry through the biggest Plagiarism Scandal in the history of advertising. Shahir Zag did not only CopyCat the harley Davidson Campaign word to word but he was also a member of cannes jury for first time presenting the Middle East and his campaign won Gold in Print while Tony Granger Y&R Global Chief Creative Officer heading the jury, plus other Gold in Outdoor. Shahir Zag did not take Cannes Lions, LYNX, Clio, NY Festival for a ride but his own network and global chief officer too.
It is sad that such caliper and awarded agency take such risk and put their respected client Harvey Nichols and the MENA region under the microscope in such Plagiarism scandal that is 100% copy of original literally except the only difference is that CARMIACHEL LYNCH did not have their CD in Cannes jury and did only 3 ads instead of 7 shot gun ads . How could the jury in cannes who celebrates originality and award fresh ideas, just give it away because Shair Zag was taking part of the jury and started lobbying the work. This is into the heart of the credibility and integrity of the Cannes Lions and Lynx as they both run under the same organizers and the same campaign did not win in OneShow or D&AD but won in cannes and lions, which force us to question the jury criteria and criteria of Cannes Lions and Lynx mishandling such an obvious Plagiarism wasting the efforts and money of many other entrants.
It seems Cannes lions and Lynx organizers will be under extreme pressure after a chain of lions withdrawn this year which seriously put them under the microscope and doubt their credibility and integrity. Cannes Lions and lynx state clearly that in act of Plagiarism the winning metals would be withdrawn. Would that be the case and could Cannes lions and Lynx once again standup to defend their integrity with all the media pressure in this special case of big win in both shows while Shair Zag in the Jury.
Released 12th Sep 2011
check attached
The agency that copied these ads also copied
http://www.coloribus.com/focus/harley-davidson-ads-of-freedom/11320305
Advertiser: Harley-Davidson Motor Company
Brand name: Harley-davidson
Product: Harley-davidson Clothing
Agency: Carmichael Lynch
Country: United States
Category: Small Scale
612.334.6000
NEW BUSINESS INQUIRIES
Erika Collins 612.334.6007
PUBLIC RELATIONS
I am sorry I thought that you were talking about a Harley Campaign that
Y&R copied for Harley. I did not realize that you were questioning Harvey
Nichols. In your own email you wrote: Team Y&R Dubai Harvey Davidson. I
thought the “V” in Harvey was mistyped and should have been an “L”Hence my response.I have not been able to find these Harley ads anywhere except in your
article. I checked Carmichael Lynch’s site, Coloribus, AdForum, HarleyBefore I can take any action can you send me links to these ads outside of
your article.Thank you.
BarbaraDear respondent,
Is this the official response of LIA? I am not accusing Y&R of plagiarism
i am actually proving their plagiarism with facts, dates and visual
examples and if LIA has no intention to disqualify them then I will go
ahead with publishing this story as I am sure the design community will be
unhappy to participate in an award show that is careless about its
reputation yet alone ethics. What message are you sending?!!!!!!
NB the fact that Harley Davidson work has not been entered into LIA does
not change the fact that Y&R Dubai plagiarized it and as such, should not
be awarded.
Regards,
Louai Alasfahani
IAA Kuwait Chapter – President
+968 94009977
+965 66009977
On Oct 7, 2011, at 12:21 PM, London International Awards wrote:
I am not quite sure what you are accusing Y&R of. Harley Davidson is not
even entered.
Dear Festival director,
Kindly view the following link before before awarding the shortlisted
copycat work of Team Y&R Dubai Harvey Davidson – The agency that copied
these ads also copied as this could jeopardize the reputation of LIA as
once happened in the Dubai Lynx.
Related links:
Blog Anubis’ Louai Alasfahani Tells It How It Is
Dubai Lynx 2011 – How was it for you?
Heads will roll
If you need further information or feel the need to discuss matters, I
can
be reached on my mobile +968 94009977 or +965 66009977
Regards,
Louai Alasfahani
IAA Kuwait Chapter – President
Also a Silver at CLIO!!!!
http://www.clioawards.com/winners/winners.cfm?medium_id=2
And the New York Festival!!!
NOSPEC.COM
Paragon Marketing Communications
ANUBIS 
With regards to the above specifically, and not the rest of the work which you refer to as ‘copycat’, I don’t see the plagiarism.
These days it’s very hard to come across a never been seen idea, so you can imagine how many reruns you’re going to be seeing.
That said, what you are referring to as copied is the idea of ‘people who bought this also bought this’ which is an amazing idea amazon has introduced to its customers while shopping online. That idea is accessible to the whole world and doesn’t really need a creative mind to put the line on a nice looking ad and make it an award winning work. Which makes you think whether it did really deserve the awards!
That is not plagiarism. That’s a Coincidence and a very close one yes but the idea is not original from both of them so you can’t really call one person a thief and the other a creative saint. the idea was ‘inspired’ by amazon (most likely).
My above opinion does not apply to the rest of the work, you have posted in links, as other copied material by y&r UAE. It only applies to the harley Nichols post.
@Maya
Shut up you fucking idiot.
Why don’t you do something about it than just featuring it in your site. Don’t you think the matter is quite serious? Shouldn’t you take it up with the Cannes authorities?