Sylvanian Families in legal fight over TikTok sex and drugs videos

Jennifer MeierhansBusiness reporterEpoch Firm LtdSylvanian Households has grow to be embroiled in a authorized battle with a TikTok creator who makes comedic movies of the youngsters’s toys in darkish and debauched storylines.The fluffy creatures, launched in 1985, have grow to be a childhood traditional. However the Sylvanian Drama TikTok account sees them performing out grownup sketches involving drink, medication, dishonest, violence and even homicide.The Japanese maker of the toys, Epoch Firm Ltd, filed a copyright infringement case within the US saying the movies are inflicting “irreparable damage” to its fame.The proprietor of the TikTok account, Thea Von Engelbrechten, from Eire, filed a counternotice claiming her works have been “parody”. The skits are such a success that the account has 2.5 million followers and the movies have racked up 68 million likes. Sylvanian Drama additionally has accounts on Instagram, YouTube, X and Fb.It has partnered with main manufacturers together with Marc Jacobs, Burberry, Netflix and Hilton for promoting posts.Sylvanian DramaVideos on the Sylvanian Drama account have thousands and thousands of likesSylvanian Households are marketed as “an lovely vary of distinctive animal characters with charming and delightful houses, furnishings and equipment”.They reside in fashionable homes surrounded by luscious greenery, woodland, a meadow and a river.Characters have names like Freya the Chocolate Rabbit lady, Ambrose the Walnut Squirrel child and Pino the Latte Cat child.They normally have healthful adventures with tales entitled Picnic by the ocean, Shock buying journey and Ice cream for everybody.’Insecure folks, eating regimen tradition, poisonous males’However the SylvanianDrama TikTok account sees the creatures in costumes and faux eyelashes, with captions saying issues like “My marriage is falling aside” and “My boyfriend will not publish me on Instagram”.Court docket paperwork filed by Epoch with the Southern District of New York on 4 July and seen by the BBC accuse Ms Von Engelbrechten of infringing the corporate’s copyright with out its permission, inflicting irreparable damage to its goodwill and fame.The court docket doc states that in an interview with influencer advertising firm Fohr, Ms Von Engelbrechten mentioned her inspiration for the storylines got here from “cringey TV exhibits and early 2000s comedy”.She went on: “I am additionally actually impressed by my cats as a result of they’re extraordinarily sassy and self-obsessed and could be so cute, however additionally they don’t have any morals in relation to killing different animals. I attempt to embody that with the Sylvanians.”Requested why she thought her movies have been so well-liked she instructed Fohr: “Possibly it is as a result of it is coming from the voice of a 22-year-old who struggles with the identical issues as [they do]. I’ve a whole lot of storylines about insecure folks, eating regimen tradition, poisonous males, and sustainability, which I feel different women my age are additionally considering lots about.”A date has been set for 14 August for a pre-trial convention. That is when authorized groups from each side meet to discover settlement choices or put together the case for trial.Epoch Firm Ltd and Ms Von Engelbrechten didn’t reply to the BBC’s requests for remark.