Earlier today, the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) shared a controversial video that depicts a scenario of a militarized police force conducting raids on homes and businesses, arresting individuals with handcuffs and zip ties, all set to the tune of the iconic Pokémon theme song and featuring copyrighted imagery from the ‘90s TV show.
It’s surprising that The Pokémon Company, known for vigorously protecting its brand and intellectual property, has not taken legal action against this blatant infringement, right?
According to Don McGowan, former chief legal officer of The Pokémon Company, even he believes that the company is unlikely to pursue legal action over this matter. Despite his reputation for being proactive in legal matters, McGowan stated, “Even if I was still with the company, I wouldn’t intervene. This will blow over soon, and they will probably overlook it,” in an interview with IGN.
One reason for The Pokémon Company’s reluctance to take legal action, as McGowan suggests, is that some of the company’s executives in the US hold green cards and rely on favorable relations with the government. Additionally, the company prefers to avoid negative publicity.
