CityAttorneyDennisHerreraNewsRelease

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ForImmediateRelease:December28,2015Contact:MattDorsey(415)554-4662

SanFranciscocracksdownonJustinBiebergraffitiCityAttorneyblastsillegalguerrillamarketingstuntfortellingyouth‘thatlikeminded

lawlessnessandcontemptforpublicpropertyarecondonedandencouraged’SANFRANCISCO(Dec.28,2015)—SanFranciscoCityAttorneyDennisHerreraisdemandingthefullcooperationofrecordingartistJustinBieber’srecordlabelanddistributioncompanytoidentifyandpunishthoseresponsibleforaguerrillamarketingcampaignthatincludespervasiveadsspray-paintedonpublicsidewalkstopromoteBieber’salbum,“Purpose.”Herrera,whocalledthegraffitivandalism“illegalandactionable”inalettertodaytoexecutivesfromDefJamRecordsandUniversalMusicGroup,vowedto“aggressivelypursueallavailablepenaltiesandcostsfromthoseresponsibleforlawlessmarketingtacticsthatintendtofinanciallybenefityourrespectivecompanies.”SanFranciscoPublicWorkshasforweeksrespondedtoneighborhoodcomplaintsaboutthestenciledads,whichhaveotherwisepersistedundiminishedthroughseveralrainstorms.Unlikeotherrecentinstancesofillegalsidewalkadvertisingthatwaschalk-based,accordingtoHerrera’sletter,theBieber-relatedgraffitiappearstohavebeenappliedwithpermanentspraypaint.SuchdefiantguerrillamarketingtacticshavebecomeanincreasinglyunwelcomesighttomanySanFranciscoresidents,accordingtotheirreactionsonsocialmedia,inpublishednewsaccounts,andincomplaintstoCityofficials.“FarmoreinfuriatingtotheSanFranciscansIhearfromiscommercially-sponsoredgraffitivandalism,”HerrerawrotetoDefJamCEOSteveBartelsandUniversalMusicGeneralCounselandEVPJeffreyHarleston.“ThisprohibitedmarketingpracticeillegallyexploitsourCity’swalkableneighborhoodsandrobusttourism;intentionallycreatesvisualdistractionsthatposeriskstopedestriansonbusyrightsofway;andirresponsiblytellsouryouththatlikemindedlawlessnessandcontemptforpublicpropertyarecondonedandencouragedbyitsbeneficiaries—includingMr.Bieberandtherecordlabelsthatproduceandpromotehim.”

City Attorney Dennis Herrera—Page 2 “OursidewalksinSanFranciscoarenotcanvassesforcorporateadvertising,andwehavemadethatclear.Yettheseguerrillamarketersbelievetheyareabovethelawwhenitcomestoblightingourcityandwewilltakeastrongstandagainstthem,”saidSanFranciscoPublicWorksDirectorMohammedNuru.“Thedefinitionofgraffitiistaggingsomeoneelse’spropertywithoutpermission,andtheycertainlydidnothaveourpermissiontodothistooursidewalks.”TheBieber-relatedvandalismrepresentstheworstexampleoftheproblem’srecentre-emergenceoverthelastyear,accordingtotheSanFranciscoCityAttorney’sOffice.Inhislettertoday,HerreranotedthatheisworkingwithCityleadersonlegislationto“substantiallyenhancecivilpenalties”forunlawfulguerrillamarketingtactics.SanFranciscoSupervisorAaronPeskinhasalreadybegundraftingthelegislation,whichwillincludeinputfromHerrera’sofficeandSanFranciscoPublicWorks.“GraffitiabatementandpreventionareimportantaspectsofprotectingthequalityoflifeinSanFrancisconeighborhoods,”saidPeskin.“Unfortunately,currentpenaltiesfor‘guerrillamarketing’graffitiseemtoreflectanacceptablecostofdoingbusinessbyirresponsiblecompaniescompetingforconsumers’attention.It’sclearthatweneedtoenacttougherpenaltiestomoreeffectivelydiscouragethispractice.I’mgratefultoCityAttorneyHerrera’sofficeandSanFranciscoPublicWorksforworkingwithmetoimprovecodesintendedtokeepoursidewalksandneighborhoodsclean.”Herrera’sofficehassuccessfullyresolvedsimilarviolationsovertheyearsbycorporatebadactors,includingIBM,NBCUniversal,TurnerBroadcastingandZynga.Pastdisputes,whichalsocenteredonillegalsidewalkgraffitiads,endedwithsubstantialfinancialsettlementstocompensatecitytaxpayersforallcosts,civillypunishwrongdoing,andpubliclydiscouragesuchillicitconductbyotherwould-becommercialvandals.StateandlocallawsauthorizeSanFrancisco’sCityAttorneytopursuecivillitigationforsuchunlawfulguerrillamarketingpractices.Suchactionscouldsecurecourt-orderedinjunctions,civilpenaltiesofupto$2,500foreachviolation,andrestitutionforfeesandcostsifsuccessful.Inhislettertoday,HerrerademandedthefullcooperationofDefJamRecordsandUniversalMusicGroupinhisoffice’sinvestigationtoidentifyallpartiesresponsibleforthegraffitivandalism.HerreraadditionallyseekscooperationfromthecompaniestodetailthenatureandextentofgraffitimarketingrelatedtoMr.Bieber’salbum,togetherwith“aproposaltoresolvethefullscopeofwrongdoingandavoidcivillitigation.”PhotographsoftheillegalgraffitiandaPDFpresskit(whichincludesCityAttorneyDennisHerrera’slettertoDefJamandUniversalMusicandphotographs)areavailableontheSanFranciscoCityAttorney’soffice’swebsiteat:http://www.sfcityattorney.org/.

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CITY AND COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO

OFFICE OF THE CITY ATTORNEY

DENNIS J. HERRERA City Attorney

Direct Dial: (415) 554-4748 Email: brittany.feitelberg@sfgov.org

CITY HALL, ROOM 234 ·1 DR. CARLTON B. GOODLETT PLACE· SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA 94102-4682 RECEPTION: (415) 554-4700 · FACSIMILE: (415) 554-4715

December28,2015Mr.SteveBartels,ChiefExecutiveOfficerDEFJAMRECORDINGS,INC.8258thAve.,28thFl.NewYork,NY10019Transmittedviafacsimile:(212)445-3616Mr.JeffreyHarleston,GeneralCounselandExecutiveVicePresidentUNIVERSALMUSICGROUP,INC.2220ColoradoAve.SantaMonica,CA90404Transmittedviafacsimile:(310)865-5613

Re:IllegalgraffitimarketingforJustinBieberinSanFranciscoMessrs.BartelsandHarleston:Iwriteregardingtheunlawful“guerrillamarketing”graffitionpublicsidewalksownedandmaintainedbytheCityandCountyofSanFranciscoonbehalfofyourrecordingartist,JustinBieber.Theillegallystenciledadvertisements,whichpromoteMr.Bieber’salbum“Purpose”anditsNovember13releasedate,havebeenreportedtomyofficeaswellastoSanFranciscoPublicWorksbynumerousresidentsfromseveralcityneighborhoods.TheirappearancehasalsoearnedhighlyunfavorablenewscoverageintheSanFranciscoChronicleandtheUnitedKingdom’sDailyMail.1Unlikeotherrecentinstancesofillegalchalk-basedsidewalkmarketingthatmyofficehaspursuedcivilly,thegraffitivandalismpromotingtheworknewlyproducedandmarketedbyyourcompaniesappearstohavebeenappliedwithpermanentspraypaint.AlthoughPublicWorkshasrespondedtoseveraloftheseapplicationsatconsiderabletimeandtaxpayerexpense,wecontinuetolearnofother1 See:“JustinBiebergraffitiinHaightdrawsirefromSanFranciscoresidents”byAlyssaPereira,SanFranciscoChronicle,Dec.11,2015,http://www.sfgate.com/entertainment/article/Justin-Bieber-graffiti-in-Haight-draws-ire-from-6692701.php;and“JustinBieberdrawsireofSanFranciscoafterhedefacessidewalkspromotinghisPurposealbum”byKiriBlakeley,DailyMail,Dec.13,2015,http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3358230/Justin-Bieber-draws-ire-San-Francisco-defaces-sidewalks-promoting-Purpose-album.html#ixzz3vWn98cGQ.

CITY AND COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO OFFICE OF THE CITY ATTORNEY Re:IllegalgraffitimarketingforJustinBieberinSanFranciscoPage2

instances,whichhaveremainedundiminishedforseveralweeksthroughmultiplerainstorms.Graffitivandalism,asIexpectyouareaware,isillegalandactionable.CaliforniaPenalCode§594andSanFranciscoPublicWorksCode§184.56etseq.bothbroadlyprohibitsuchlawlesssignageonpublicproperty,andSanFranciscoPublicWorksCode§184.57(b)specificallyprovidesthatnoone“shallerect,constructormaintain,paste,paint,print,nail,tackorotherwisefastenoraffixanySign,orcauseorsufferthesametobedone,onanyLampPost,UtilityPole,trafficcontrolsignorsignal,curbstone,bench,hydrant,wall,spanwire,sidewalk,bridge,tree,fence,buildingorstructureownedorcontrolledbytheCity.”SanFranciscoPublicWorksCode§§184.62-63furtherprovidebothcivilandcriminalpenaltiesforviolationsof§184.56etseq.AsSanFrancisco’selectedCityAttorney,Iamempoweredtopursuecivilclaimswherevercauseexists—asitdoeshere—onbehalfoftheCityanditstaxpayers.(S.F.Charter§6.102)Understatelaw,IcantosueonbehalfofthePeopleoftheStateofCaliforniaforviolationsofourUnfairCompetitionLaw(Cal.Bus.andProf.Code§§17200etseq.),whichwouldcertainlyincludetheunfairandunlawfulpracticesreflectedintheguerrillamarketingforMr.Bieber’salbumonourpublicsidewalks.Potentialremediesforsuchactionssuccessfullybroughtunderstateandlocallawincludecivilpenaltiesofupto$2,500foreachactofunlawfulorunfaircompetition,remunerationforcosts,andinjunctiverelief.Overtheyears,SanFranciscansandtheirelectedleadershaveactedtolimitthepresenceofgraffitivandalismandenhancepenaltiesonitsperpetratorssoastoprotectourCity’suniquecharms,andavoidthemyriadnuisancesthataccompanysuchvisualblight.GraffitipreventionandremovalisatoppriorityforSanFranciscoPublicWorks,andcitytaxpayersspendsome$20millionannuallytoremoveitfromourpublicproperty.FarmoreinfuriatingtotheSanFranciscansIhearfromiscommercially-sponsoredgraffitivandalism.ThisprohibitedmarketingpracticeillegallyexploitsourCity’swalkableneighborhoodsandrobusttourism;intentionallycreatesvisualdistractionsthatposeriskstopedestriansonbusyrightsofway;andirresponsiblycommunicatestoyoungpeoplethatlikemindedlawlessnessandcontemptforpublicpropertyarecondonedandencouragedbyitsbeneficiaries—includingMr.Bieberandtherecordlabelsthatproduceandpromotehim.Forthisreason,IamagainworkingwithCitypolicymakersonlegislationtosubstantiallyenhancecivilpenaltiesfortheseunlawfulguerrillamarketingtactics.Fornearlyadecade-and-a-half,myofficehasaggressivelypursuedvirtuallyidenticalviolationsbycorporatebadactorsthathaveincludedIBM,NBCUniversal,TurnerBroadcastingandZynga.WehavesuccessfullyresolvedthesecasesbysecuringsubstantialfinancialsettlementstocompensateSanFranciscotaxpayersfortheircosts;tocivillypunishwrongdoing;andtopubliclydiscouragesuchillicitconductbyotherwould-becorporatevandals.AsCityAttorney,ItaketheillegalgraffitimarketedforMr.Bieber’salbumseriously,andIwillaggressivelypursueallavailablepenaltiesandcostsfromthose

CITY AND COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO OFFICE OF THE CITY ATTORNEY Re:IllegalgraffitimarketingforJustinBieberinSanFranciscoPage3

responsibleforlawlessmarketingtacticsthatintendtofinanciallybenefityourrespectivecompanies.Withthisletter,inaccordancewithmyauthorityunderstateandlocallaw,Idemandyourcooperationinmyoffice’sinvestigationtoidentifyallparties—includingbutnotlimitedtobusinessentities,individuals,contractors,subcontractors,ortheiragents—responsiblefortheaforementionedillegalgraffitivandalisminSanFrancisco.IalsorequestyourcooperationinprovidingmyattorneysandinvestigatorswithadetailedaccountingofthenatureandextentofgraffitimarketingrelatingtoMr.Bieber’salbumonallpublicpropertyandrightsofwaywithinourCitylimits,togetherwithaproposaltoresolvethefullscopeofwrongdoingandavoidcivillitigation.Atyourearliestconvenience,pleasecontactDeputyCityAttorneyTomLakritz,Chiefofmyoffice’sNeighborhoodandResidentProtectionTeam,at(415)554-3963orbyemailattom.lakritz@sfgov.orgtobegintheprocessofresolvingtheharmsdonetoSanFranciscoanditsresidentsonyourcompanies’behalf.

Sincerely,DENNISHERRERA

cc: Hon.AaronPeskin,SanFranciscoBoardofSupervisors

MohammedNuru,DirectorofSanFranciscoPublicWorks

Illegal Justin Bieber graffiti at 1083 Howard Street, photographed on Dec. 26 — several weeks and multiple rainstorms after it was applied. (San Francisco City Attorney’s Office)

Illegal Justin Bieber graffiti on Valencia Street at 23rd Street (via Twitter, https://twitter.com/kiskerfuffle/status/675377932404043776)

Illegal Justin Bieber graffiti at Larkin and Bush Streets (via Twitter https://twitter.com/moniza/status/667380640124268544)

Illegal Justin Bieber graffiti at 1453 Haight Street (San Francisco Public Works)

Illegal Justin Bieber graffiti at Grove and Divisadero (San Francisco Public Works)

Illegal Justin Bieber graffiti at 616 Divisadero (San Francisco Public Works)

Illegal Justin Bieber graffiti at 550 Divisadero near Bi-Rite. (Photo: Andrew Dudley/Hoodline)

Illegal Justin Bieber graffiti (defaced with responsive graffiti) at Bush and Polk Streets, (Via Twitter at https://twitter.com/gabetron3030/status/670786809677246464)