For nearly a decade Robert Burck, better known as the Naked Cowboy, has been a prominent fixture in New York City. Showing extraordinary commitment, Burck is there day after day, regardless of the weather, and has become a popular tourist attraction. His trademark look – white briefs, boots and cowboy hat, is now being worn by a blue M&M, alongside views of NYC, on two large video broadcast billboards overlooking his turf, Times Square.
Burck has filed a $6 million trademark infringement lawsuit against M&Ms maker Mars Inc. and Chute Gerdeman Inc., the Ohio based agency that created the ad. The lawsuit, filed in Manhattan federal court, claims that Mars and Chute Gerdeman “decided to exploit and trade upon The Naked Cowboy’s well-recognized likeness without a license and without furnishing any compensation.”
“Just like The Naked Cowboy does on a daily basis in Times Square, the M&M is not only dressed as “The Naked Cowboy”, it is playing the Naked Cowboy’s distinctive white guitar in the cartoon.”
Burck has made several television and movie appearances in costume, including a televised audition on season one of American Idol.
Check out the Naked Cowboy below in the Nickelback Rockstar video, along with cameos by Dale Earnhardt Jr., Gene Simmons, Wayne Gretzky, the Girls Next Door, Kid Rock, Nelly Furtado, Paul Wall, Billy Gibbons and others.