Fine imposed on RAI over John Travolta’s sneaker scandal
Italian public television RAI received a fine of over $225,000 CAD. All because of John Travolta's performance in sneakers with the company's logo during the San Remo festival. The media regulatory authority (AGCOM) deemed it hidden advertising.
25 July 2024 16:22
In February 2024, the American actor known for Pulp Fiction and Grease was a special guest at the song festival. He gave an interview on stage and danced to music from his movies. For the finale, he performed the "duck dance" in front of the festival's Ariston Theatre.
Shortly after he visited San Remo, it was noticed that Travolta wore white shoes with a visible logo, which could be seen in camera close-ups during the San Remo broadcast.
Initially, Italian newspapers deemed his performance "embarrassing." However, a scandal erupted later related to accusations of illegal hidden advertising. A decision has just been made in this matter.
Fine for Travolta's performance
This is "an extremely serious incident," said the media market regulator. For "violating regulations on proper information about advertising messages," the regulator imposed a fine on RAI amounting to $225,000 CAD, which is 20 times higher than the minimum fine.
Italian media reminds us that this incident occurred when 11.8 million people watched the San Remo broadcast, which was 60% of the country's television audience.
Television demands compensation from Travolta
This is the next stage in the Travolta shoe case. In May 2024, the public broadcaster's management took legal action against the actor, accusing him in a lawsuit of breaching contract terms, unfair competition, and actions against professional correctness.
Television demanded compensation from the actor for the losses incurred and for the damage to its reputation. Additionally, the entire payment for his performance was suspended.
The station informed that, during an internal investigation, it was established that none of the employees or collaborators knew about Travolta's intention to perform in shoes with a company logo.
This is not the first such case, however. The year before, RAI Television received a fine of $190,000 CAD for promoting one of the most popular social media platforms on the San Remo festival stage.
Seventy-year-old John Travolta is an American actor, film producer, and stage artist who has been nominated for an Oscar twice.
