Missouri Family Christmas Photo Turns Up in Czech Ad

Posted by Queuebot in Advertising, Blog & Internet on June 11, 2009 at 3:25 pm


As if we needed further proof of the vast reaches of the internet, and the frightening reality that what people put on the net stays on the net, comes the story of the Smith family of St. Louis.

Danielle Smith had taken a photo of her family last year and sent it to friends, as well as posted it on social networking sites.  The photo shows her and her husband holding two kids.

About 10 days ago, one of Smith’s college friends was driving through Prague when he spotted their huge smiling faces in the window of a store specializing in European food. He snapped a few pictures and sent them to a flabbergasted Smith.

“It’s a life-size picture in a grocery store window in Prague — my Christmas card photo!” said Smith, 36, who lives in the St. Louis suburb of O’Fallon.

Mario Bertuccio, who owns the Grazie store in Prague, said the photo was from the Internet. Details were sparse, but he said he thought it was computer-generated. When told it was a real photo — of a real family — he said he started taking steps to remove it.

“We’ll be happy to write an e-mail with our apology,” said Bertuccio, who said he would send the Smiths a bottle of good wine if they lived in his eastern European country.

The Smiths and photographer Gina Kelly hadn’t authorized anyone to use the pictures. Kelly said she has asked a professional photographers’ organization to help figure out how her image wound up in Prague.

Link | The ad in question

From the Upcoming ueue, submitted by Geekazoid.


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13 comments to "Missouri Family Christmas Photo Turns Up in Czech Ad"

  1. PaulVI
    June 11th, 2009 at 4:07 pm

    First: Get paid.

    Second: The store owner would give the Smiths a bottle of wine --- if they lived in Cz. Rep.? Meaning, "you will not be receiving a bottle of wine from us."

    Third: Yup, the picture is perfect. Too perfect. The family is complete (Dad/Mom is not behind the camera)? The kids are smiling enthusiastically? P-shop! ;-)

    I'm glad nobody wants pictures of my family. [Sigh.] ;-)

  2. arvana
    June 11th, 2009 at 4:10 pm

    I don't think it takes a professional photographers’ organization to help figure out how her image wound up in Prague. My guess? Somebody did a Google image search for large-size "happy family" pictures and thought nobody would notice the copyright infringement.

  3. JustinButNotTHATJustin
    June 11th, 2009 at 7:03 pm

    Why take steps to take it down? I'd say "let's just have a free trip to Prague and call it square." That seems like a fair price. And besides, who cares if people on the other side of the world see you as the embodiment of a happy family when they buy your endorsed potato croqettes and smazeny syr.

  4. Kalel
    June 11th, 2009 at 9:14 pm

    Get paid... by Czech.

  5. Nicholas Dollak
    June 11th, 2009 at 9:20 pm

    I keep remembering Homer Simpson's reaction when he saw his own face on a box of Mr. Sparkle (fictional Japanese brand of dish detergent)...

  6. free online games for kids
    June 11th, 2009 at 10:44 pm

    I think the moment you put up your photos on the Internet, they are subject to anyone and everyone to see. It does however feel quite disconcerting to have a life-sized photo of yourself out on display, especially without your permission.

  7. Vonskippy
    June 11th, 2009 at 10:49 pm

    "had taken a photo of her family last year and sent it to friends, as well as posted it on social networking sites"

    "Kelly said she has asked a professional photographers’ organization to help figure out how her image wound up in Prague."

    Gee, that should be a tough case to crack.

  8. Video Game Dork
    June 12th, 2009 at 3:26 am

    If you put something on the internet, you better expect it to show up anywhere.

  9. ted
    June 12th, 2009 at 6:45 am

    Too bad kids don't think of this before they start peeling off their clothes in front of their webcams.

    I'm surprised she's bothered by this. It's not like they were selling something bad.

  10. Gail Pink
    June 12th, 2009 at 2:14 pm

    Once she posted it on the Internet it's in the public domain, baby. No real mystery there!

  11. Alexander
    June 12th, 2009 at 2:36 pm

    I'm from O'Fallon and I saw this and started cracking up, I know many Smith's here but not sure if i know these ones lol. and no just because it's been posted on the internet doesn't mean it's public domain, most social networking sites have pretty decent user agreements that either a.) prevent you from using copyright photos on their site without permission or b.) prevent people from using your photos without permission. so if I were them I wouldnt want my families photo in store window in Prague either

  12. Jill
    June 12th, 2009 at 9:16 pm

    Putting something on the internet is like tacking something to a telephone pole at a busy intersecttion.
    Don't be surprised if someone takes it.

  13. different alex
    June 14th, 2009 at 8:12 pm

    putting a photo on the internet absolutely does not make it public domain. just because it's easy to steal doesn't mean that it's ok or legal.

    what I'm wondering though is how high the resolution on that photo is, given that print resolution is 300ppi compared to the web's 72ppi, and that it was blown up to life-size. it must have looked like ass.


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