Releasing a video for the NFL schedule’s reveal has become a near mandate. Teams take different approaches to the announcement, which is awfully difficult to turn into a controversy.
The Cleveland Browns may have done just that. A clothing apparel company accused the NFL team of ripping off their commercial.
Cleveland’s video takes place in a bowling alley. At the end, Pete Weber shows up in Browns gear. He turns to the camera and states his famous, “Who do you think you are? I am” line.
Cael Schwartz of Mugsy Jeans posted side-by-side videos showing Weber saying the catchphrase in a similar fashion in their commercial. Weber also lies down on the alley floor in the same pose, and Schwartz highlights logos above the lanes to suggest that they may have even filmed in the same location.
“The
Browns
blatantly ripped our video,” Schwartz wrote. “Like a lot. Complete copy.”
Schwartz said the 2023 ad with Weber was “our first ever REAL commercial.” However, he doesn’t blame the legendary bowler for taking the Browns gig.
“The Browns (who are losers) released a video that features Pete Weber in the SAME bowling alley, with the SAME camera tracking, & the SAME shots as our Mugsy ad,” he wrote. “We love Pete & we get it, big dogs gotta eat. But c’mon Browns. Be better. Come up with original ideas one time for me.”
Schwartz said Mugsy won’t sue if the NFL buys 1 million pairs of jeans. He then amended his comment to say they “might sue.”
Mugsy issued the same demand and took another shot at the Browns.
“Did the Browns just steal our commercial? That’s not very nice,” the company wrote on Thursday. “We knew you were bad at football, but you’re bad at marketing too?! Yikes.”