Georgina Cox, a personal trainer from Middlesbrough, has claimed that women’s activewear brand Sweaty Betty used her slogan “Wear The Damn Shorts” in its campaign without proper attribution. Cox initially created the phrase in 2020 to encourage women to embrace their body shapes. Following the phrase’s viral success, Sweaty Betty contacted her about a similar campaign but later proceeded without further acknowledgment.
The company offered Cox a £4,000 settlement, contingent on her agreement not to challenge the slogan’s continued use, to maintain confidentiality, and to not make public statements about the company. Sweaty Betty maintains that it has used the slogan as part of its messaging for three years and has expressed a willingness to meet with Cox to resolve the situation amicably.
In previous interactions, Cox received £3,500 for her promotion of a campaign in social media posts; however, she noted that Sweaty Betty did not contact her before the third year of their campaign, leading to feelings of hurt and disappointment. She stated that her legal counsel issued a “cease and desist” letter after she became aware of her slogan being used without credit, to which the company’s response referred to her as “bitter.”
Cox reported experiencing significant stress from the situation, stating it has impacted her mental and physical health. She has called for an apology from Sweaty Betty and a commitment to ensure fair compensation for influencers. The company expressed respect for Cox’s work but also asserted that no one holds exclusive rights to the phrase in question. They expressed surprise and disappointment regarding the dispute.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cq50n57e64do?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss