Vergara Hermosilla v. the Coca-Cola Co.

717 F. Supp. 2d 1297, 96 U.S.P.Q. 2d (BNA) 1553, 2010 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 62014, 2010 WL 2232657
CourtDistrict Court, S.D. Florida
DecidedJune 2, 2010
DocketCase 10-21418-CIV
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 717 F. Supp. 2d 1297 (Vergara Hermosilla v. the Coca-Cola Co.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, S.D. Florida primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Vergara Hermosilla v. the Coca-Cola Co., 717 F. Supp. 2d 1297, 96 U.S.P.Q. 2d (BNA) 1553, 2010 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 62014, 2010 WL 2232657 (S.D. Fla. 2010).

Opinion

ORDER GRANTING IN PART PLAINTIFF’S MOTION FOR PRELIMINARY INJUNCTION

K. MICHAEL MOORE, District Judge.

THIS CAUSE came before the Court upon Plaintiffs Emergency Motion for Preliminary Injunction (dkt. # 10).

UPON CONSIDERATION of the Motion, the Response, the Reply, and the pertinent portions of the record, and being otherwise fully advised in the premises, the Court enters the following Order.

I. BACKGROUND

This case involves a claim by Plaintiff Rafael “Rafa” Vergara Hermosilla (“Vergara”) to obtain damages and equitable relief for copyright infringement by Defendant Coca-Cola Company (“Coca-Cola”). Vergara’s current Motion seeks a preliminary injunction preventing Coca-Cola from using the song “Wavin’ Flag (Coca-Cola Spanish Celebration Mix). ”

A Factual Background

Vergara is a songwriter, producer, and vocalist who has written songs for many successful artists including Marc Anthony and Jaci Velasquez. See Declaration of Rafael “Rafa” Vergara Hermosilla (dkt. #10-1) (“Vergara Deck”), at ¶2-3. In November 2009, Coca-Cola requested that Universal Music Group and several of its divisions or subsidiaries (collectively “Universal”) assist it in creating a version of a music single that would incorporate Spanish language lyrics and be used to promote Coca-Cola’s brands during the 2010 FIFA World Cup Soccer Games. See Declaration of Jose Puig (dkt. # 16-2) (“Puig Deck”), at ¶¶ 2-3. The games are scheduled to take place in June 2010. Id. The single to be altered was Wavin’ Flag (Coca-Cola Celebration Mix) by the artist K’naan. Id. ¶ 3. Coca-Cola secured “all the necessary rights” to create revised *1300 versions of this song from all those who owned copyright interests in the original composition. Id. Performer David Bisbal (“Bisbal”) was selected to sing the Spanish language portion of the new version while K’naan would still sing the English language portion. Id. Vergara was selected to perform two tasks: (1) to translate a portion of K’naan’s lyrics into Spanish and (2) to mix and produce Bisbal’s vocals for the final mix. Id. ¶ 5.

On November 17, 2009, Jose Puig (“Puig”), then a Vice President of Marketing for Universal Music Latin America, contacted Vergara by telephone and Vergara agreed by telephone to adapt the lyrics to Spanish and to mix and produce the record. Id. ¶ 6. According to Puig, during this conversation the two agreed that Vergara’s work would be a work-for-hire and that Vergara’s fee would be $6,000 for the project. Id. By contrast, Vergara denies that the Parties intended this to be a work-for-hire or that he has ever written a work-for-hire in his career. Vergara Deck ¶¶ 6-8.

On November 18, 2009 at 3:04 a.m., Vergara sent an email to Puig containing Spanish language lyrics as well as an audio file demonstrating how the lyrics were to be sung. See Email from Vergara to Puig (Nov. 18, 2009) (English translation) (dkt. #22-3). Puig responded later that day noting “this is incredible. Now we can call this a song!” See Email from Puig to Vergara (Nov. 18, 2009) (English translation) (dkt. #22-3). Over the following weeks, Vergara created a variety of versions of the song using his own vocals, and ultimately one of the versions was approved by Universal, Coca-Cola and K’naan. Puig Deck ¶ 11. On December 2, 2009, as planned, Bisbal recorded vocals for the track based on Vergara’s lyrics and demo vocals. Id. The resulting track was returned to Vergara, who then performed additional mixing, background vocals, and production on the track. Id. On December 4, 2009, Vergara delivered a master version to Puig and this version has now appeared in a number of promotions in Spanish markets and in the United States, including a video which features both K’naan and Bisbal. Id. ¶¶ 11-13. The first publication of the work was in Mexico via iTunes’ Mexican download website and Coca-Cola’s Mexican website. Vergara Deck ¶ 18.

On December 6, 2009, Vergara submitted an invoice for $10,000.00 to Universal for his work on the project including “Production, vocal edition, background vocals, mixing and mastering.” See Invoice No. 031-2009 (dkt. # 22-4). Before paying the monies due under the invoice, Universal asked that Vergara sign a document stating that all work done was work-for-hire. Puig Deck ¶ 16.

On March 4, 2010, Vergara wrote an email to Puig seeking to resolve the dispute which stated:

When you proposed to me the adaptation of the song Wavin Flag, the opportunity to solicit a percentage for the adaptation was always left open to the original authors.
If I would have known from the beginning that such a possibility did not exist, I would have never agreed to do the adaptation. Additionally, I want to make it clear that the adaptation has nothing to do with the work I later performed as producer.
As such, over the past weeks we have tried to communicate with the original authors, but no one has wanted to recognize our adaptation and the only version resulting from it.
It is a shame that the original authors (as creative people) do not recognize my contributions to the official version of Waving Flag Spanish Celebration, aside from unjust, it is illegal. It must be that this is the first time that they do some *1301 thing important, because this has never happened to us on any other adaptation. But because I am a man of my word and honor, that is not moved by economic motives, my only request is that my credits are respected as producer and adapter of the Spanish version (that every time the name of any composer of this version appears, my name appears as adapter), and obviously, the credits for the production that are detailed in the invoice sent for this production, which I have detailed below.
For the adaptation, you may consider it a work for hire with no economic compensation to that respect. I believe what’s legal is a dollar.
I hope that this leaves clear what my work was and what my good intentions were from the beginning.

Puig Deck ¶ 18 (English translation); see also Email from Vergara to Puig (Mar. 4, 2010) (dkt. #27-3) (English translation).

On March 8, 2010, Vergara sent another email to Puig stating,

I appreciate your sending me the contracts. However, my proposal was clear and it was just that, a proposal, since you requested my help because you knew things had not been done right. My only request regarding said proposal was a series of things that are not included in what you sent me. Moreover, nothing of what I proposed to you is included in the contracts.
I want you to know I’m very upset and rather dissapointed [sic], because my proposal was based more on our friendship than anything else, and what I got does not honor the agreements.

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717 F. Supp. 2d 1297, 96 U.S.P.Q. 2d (BNA) 1553, 2010 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 62014, 2010 WL 2232657, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/vergara-hermosilla-v-the-coca-cola-co-flsd-2010.