Street Artist James De La Vega Says Apple Stole His Slogan for Their New iPhone 5S Campaign

Is this a coincidence, or is Apple really biting quotes without permission?

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Complex Original

Image via Complex Original

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Despite their massive staff of creatives and millions spent in advertising, could Apple actually be stealing slogans from street artists to sell phones? New York-based artist James De La Vega says yes, and he has allegedly filed a cease and desist against the tech company for using his phrase "You're more powerful than you think" in their iPhone 5S ads. 

According to the New York Daily News, De La Vega has been writing the phrase in his graffiti for close to ten years as a part of his "Become Your Dream" series, and in the past he gave the Quotable Cards Inc. company permission to use it on their products. The artist says that his quotes are "intended to inspire, uplift and empower human beings," and that Apple knowingly violated his rights as the "common law owner of the trademark."

The letter written by De La Vega's lawyer, Richard Garbarini, requests a settlement to avoid a lawsuit, but an exact figure is not mentioned in the New York Daily News article.

[via Daily Mail]

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