Don’t drink and fly: Stolichnaya asks Paramount to remove vodka from ‘Flight’ film

Denzel Washington in ‘Flight’ directed by Robert Zemeckis

The maker of Budweiser and the US distributor of Stolichnaya have asked Paramount Pictures to remove branded bottles of beer and vodka from its new drama ‘Flight’ which depicts an alcoholic pilot flying while high on drink and drugs.

William Grant & Sons Inc., the New York-based distributor of Stolichnaya, said in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter that the inclusion of ‘Stoli’ in the film from the Oscar-winning director of 'Forest Gump', Robert Zemeckis violates the company's internal code of responsible marketing. and the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States' code of responsible practices.

"Considering the subject matter of the film ‘Flight’, it is certainly not a project in which we would have willingly participated," Jonathan Yusen, senior vice president of marketing in North America for William Grant & Sons, explained. "The inclusion directly contradicts the codes and our commitment to responsible marketing."

Although trademark and copyright laws prevent logos from being used without permission in films, filmmakers are granted "fair use" privileges under federal law, which doesn’t forbid certain use of protected materials without receiving permission from the rights holder, The Hollywood Reporter informed.

Meanwhile, St. Louis-based Budweiser has asked that its logo be removed or obscured from digital copies of the film and future versions due to be released on DVDs. "We would never condone the misuse of our products and have a long history of promoting responsible drinking and preventing drunk driving," Budweiser vice president Rob McCarthy said in a statement to the Associated Press.

Paramount declined to comment, while ‘Flight’ has already earned $24.9 million in its opening weekend.

Budweiser and ‘Stoli’ aren't the only alcoholic beverages the character of airline captain William "Whip" Whitaker helps himself to.

The pilot, portrayed by Denzel Washington, also goes for Smirnoff and Absolut vodkas. In one particular scene, the character looks an open hotel mini-bar, bringing the spotlight on a variety of alcoholic drinks.

Rt.com