The Stars we never forget

WW: Your agency GreenLight arranges photos and music rights for celebrities who are no longer with us. Which stars are still considered hard-working earners in heaven?
David Reeder: Historically, Elvis Presley had the highest earning power of all deceased celebrities. However, he was overtaken by Michael Jackson in the last two years. His unexpected death has also meant that the incomes of deceased celebrities have suddenly become a topic of public interest. Most of the money earned by Jackson comes from the rights to his music. The use of his pictures is even more modest in comparison. The same applies to Elvis. Of the other deceased celebrities who constantly appear on the Forbes list of top earners, Marilyn Monroe generates the most money exclusively from the rights to her image.

How much do the rights to an advertising campaign with Elvis or Marilyn cost?
The fees for the use of the symbols depend on the same parameters and guidelines that apply to most living celebrities. The price is determined by factors such as the length of the term of use. It also depends on the specific use - online, outdoor, print, TV - as well as the area of intended use. In addition, we examine the role in which the celebrity is used. Is his or her image just one of many symbols in the campaign or will the famous testimonial be used exclusively for advertising? All these variables and a feeling for the historical value of a particular personality, which we also estimate on the basis of previous campaigns, ultimately lead to the individually negotiated price.

And how much do I have to pay if I use the photos without the appropriate rights?
This is a difficult question. The rights vary greatly from country to country. If we discover an unauthorized use, we normally assume that the infringing party had no idea that special rights were needed here. We then try to resolve the situation peacefully. In rare cases, we have to impose a penalty for unauthorized use or if someone tries to deceive us with improper license fees. In some cases, we are forced to stop the campaign or even the product.

How should an agency proceed if it wants to advertise with the image or music of a legendary star? Does it have to be able to present a concrete design before the negotiation?
As far as the images are concerned, we are a subsidiary of the Corbis photo agency. We do not own any images ourselves, we only clear the rights. Anyone looking for a photo in connection with the personalities we represent will find the right image for their advertising campaign on the Corbis website. The Corbis sales organization then forwards the request to us. We check the authorization for the respective purpose and negotiate the corresponding costs. When authorizing the use of an image for advertising purposes, we check both the creative idea and the good reputation of a product or brand. The image must match the personality we represent. The situation is slightly different if, for example, the agency wants to use the music of a deceased personality for advertising purposes. It has to negotiate with the record company in question. This can be a very lengthy process. However, we at GreenLight can take this work off the agency's hands, as we have years of experience in this area. We carry out thousands of these legal clarifications every year, so we have a global overview of the actual market prices and, thanks to our business volume, quite a lot of negotiating power.

Who decides whether a campaign with Elvis or Michael Jackson is approved?
The respective holders of the rights. GreenLight assumes the role of intermediary and negotiates with the rights holders on behalf of and in the name of the interested advertising agency.

Who gets the money?
As a rule, it is the family that administers the inheritance. Sometimes the rights belong to an institution. Albert Einstein, for example, bequeathed the rights to Hebrow University in Jerusalem. Part of Marilyn Monroe's estate was recently bought by a private equity firm, and a few years ago another company acquired a majority stake in the estate of Elvis Presley.

How can you monitor the correct payment of copyrights worldwide?
Years of experience working around the world have made us experts. We have many colleagues, clients and friends around the world who tell us about possible unauthorized use of such rights. In addition, the transparency of the Internet makes it virtually impossible to launch a sensational campaign with unauthorized images or stolen music. Sooner or later we will discover this.

What is GreenLight's most successful advertising story with famous testimonials?
We have been able to use Steve McQueen, for example, for a few very authentic and successful campaigns. McQueen remained a brand ambassador for Tag Heuer for years after his death.

Why can someone become "immortal"?
Immortal icons are incredibly rare. Today, anyone can become famous quickly, but usually only for a very short time. All the more reason for the public to look for stars who have achieved something truly unique. They enrich our culture and that is why we are drawn to such personalities. People long for such outsized identity opportunities and we want to identify with the aura of legends. This is why such stars are immortal and will continue to exude a great deal of power in the future, for example for use in advertising.

Interview: Andreas Panzeri

Today's annual earnings of great legends:
Michael Jackson: 170 million $
Elvis Presley: 55 million $
Marilyn Monroe: 27 million $
Liz Taylor: 12 million $
John Lennon: 12 million $