LOS ANGELES—Organizers of the 2020 Gentlemen’s Club Expo, taking place in Miami in May 2021, are warning club owners about the dangers of using random model photos and other images for advertising and marketing purposes.
In an announcement today, ED Publications, which hosts the annual event, reminded club owners that dozens of clubs have been sued for using unauthorized photos of “models” and professional sports logos in print and online advertising, and in almost every instance the models have won these cases along with of hundreds of thousands of dollars in damages. But, despite these lawsuits, some clubs are still using photos of girls they find on the internet or elsewhere for their advertising.
The warning comes ahead of the Expo’s Legal Panel where attorneys and other legal experts will discuss the issue and other legal topics impacting clubs. The panel will take place on Wednesday, May 28 from noon to 1 p.m. The expo will be held in Miami’s InterContinental Hotel from May 23-26.
ED Magazine recently published a warning about these lawsuits, where it spoke with industry attorney Luke Lirot, who was at that time involved in defending several of these cases.
“I’ve worked close to 20 of these cases over the past couple of years; I’m involved with several as we speak,” Lirot said. “To give you some perspective, I’ve gotten more of these cases than I have fair labor standards (dancer class-action) cases recently, and we all know how prevalent the class-action cases have been. It seems like these stock photo cases are the new ‘cottage industry’ for plaintiff attorneys against the adult nightclub industry.”
Whether it’s online promotional graphics or in-club smartphone usage, modern technology is creating new legal issues that clubs must contend with. Helmed by industry attorneys and club professionals, including Lirot, the EXPO 20/21 “Picture This” legal panel will provide owners and operators with the information they need to stay ahead of the curve — and out of the courtroom.
The expo is currently offering the VIP "Friends of Expo" sponsorship package that includes six expo badges, six up-front tickets to the Awards Show, your banner in the main EXPO area and a free full-page display ad in the Expo 20/21 Program Guide. To learn more, click here.
To become an event sponsor and receive greater exposure for your club, click here.
For registration information, please visit www.TheEDExpo.com or call (727) 726-3592 to register py phone.
