Nespresso Suing Coffee Competitor For Using George Clooney Doppelgänger In Ads

Clooney on the left, Not-Clooney on the right.

Clooney on the left, Not-Clooney on the right.

There is only one actor named George Clooney shilling for an espresso company, and Nespresso wants to make sure consumers know he’s only working for them: the company’s Israel arm is suing a rival for using an actor who looks somewhat like the salt-and-pepper Clooney in ads, claiming it’ll confuse customers.

Nepresso Israel filed a lawsuit against Israeli Espresso Club for its ads that show the Clooney doppelgänger learning about how awesome Espresso Club is, reports the Associated Press.

The ads feature a silvery-haired gentlemen carrying what looks like a Nespresso bag and speaking English, with a disclaimer that the actor “is not George Clooney.”

Nespresso said it filed the suit to “prevent customers from being misled,” and is demanding $50,000 in damages and for the ad be removed.

Espresso Club claims it’s just a tongue-in-cheek ad, and that the actor was hired to target customers looking for an “informal” coffee experience. Unlike the formal ritual I perform every morning with trumpets heralding the arrival of my morning brew in a gold chalice, served by Aaron Rodgers lookalikes wearing togas. It’s very fancy.

Check out Not-Clooney below, and then vote in our poll:

Nespresso sues Israeli coffee company over Clooney lookalike [Associated Press]

Want more consumer news? Visit our parent organization, Consumer Reports, for the latest on scams, recalls, and other consumer issues.