Ralph Lauren vs. Blogosphere

I'm a big fan of a little website called Photoshop Disasters.  (If you're not familiar, go have a peek -- but be forewarned, it may make whatever beverage you're drinking come out of your nose.)

Last month sometime they featured this ad from Ralph Lauren.  Clearly a disaster if ever there was one.  Does anyone actually believe that's really what the model looks like?!?

Boing Boing picked up on the criticism and also posted the ad, laughing and mocking all the way.

Ralph Lauren is now claiming copyright infringement. 

Clearly, they're unaware of the fair use clause that says reproduction is acceptable for purposes such as the one this was used for. 

Clearly, they're also unaware of the Streisand effect.

The concept that such a high dollar company couldn't afford to put together a better ad than this just doesn't fly.  Apparently they thought this was acceptable.  Never mind that supermodels are already too ridiculously thin and the societal pressures of trying to look like whoever is on the cover of the magazines this week have caused uncounted young girls and women to starve themselves, resulting in an epidemic of eating disorders.  Let's make her even thinner!  Then, when we're (legitimately) criticized for such idiocy, we'll simply sue!  Cause we have the money and the lawyers.  And they're just bloggers after all.  What can they do about it?

Shame on you Ralph Lauren.  You should know better!