Latest news with #SylvanianDrama
Yahoo
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
‘Self-expression should be celebrated': Sylvanian Drama spills into real life as TikTok creator faces lawsuit
The internet-famous TikTok account Sylvanian Drama is now at the center of a real-world legal battle, as its creator faces a lawsuit from the brand behind the toys. Southwest Airlines' open seating is ending: Here's what the new 8-group boarding process will look like Here's exactly how much you'll save on your 2026 taxes, by income bracket: Trump's One Big Beautiful Bill benefits Why Third Amendment memes are suddenly taking over social media If you're unfamiliar, Sylvanian Drama features Sylvanian Families figurines (known as Calico Critters in the U.S.) acting out wild, often dark storylines involving kidnappings, drug abuse, and murder. One of its most viral videos, titled 'My Marriage Is Falling Apart,' has amassed 22.1 million views. A top comment calls it 'Shakespearean.' Thea Von Engelbrechten, based in Kildare, Ireland, launched the account in 2021. She later dropped out of college as the account exploded in popularity (it now has 2.5 million followers) and has since collaborated with brands like Netflix, Burberry, and Sephora. But in April, the drama left TikTok and landed in court. Epoch Company—the parent brand of Sylvanian Families—filed a copyright lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, as first reported by the Irish Independent. The company accuses Von Engelbrechten of copyright and trademark infringement, as well as unfair competition. According to the complaint, 'Defendant is 'working to build Sylvanian Drama's own brand image' as an advertising and content creation service provider at the expense of Epoch's goodwill it has built over decades,' Vulture reports. Epoch states that TikTok had removed some videos following a Digital Millennium Copyright Act notice issued in October 2023. However, after failing to reach a lasting agreement with Von Engelbrechten, the company wrote that it 'had no choice but to file this lawsuit.' The case underscores a broader issue: the legal risks creators face when centering content around trademarked brands. Epoch is seeking statutory damages of up to $150,000 per infringed work, in addition to profits generated by the Sylvanian Drama account. A pretrial conference is scheduled for August 14, during which both legal teams will explore settlement options or prepare for trial. Von Engelbrechten has not publicly addressed the lawsuit, and Sylvanian Drama has not posted on any platform since January. (Fast Company has reached out to her for comment.) Meanwhile, fans have flooded the account's pinned videos with messages of support. 'Someone make her a GoFundMe,' one commenter wrote. Designer Jeffrey Men, creator of the toy company Fancy Teddy, tells Fast Company: 'Self-expression should be celebrated, not suppressed. As a small, creator-led brand, I stand with anyone reimagining what toys can mean.' This post originally appeared at to get the Fast Company newsletter: Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
AsiaOne
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- AsiaOne
Sylvanian Families at centre of legal battle with TikTok creator, Lifestyle News
Sylvanian Families are at the centre of a legal battle with a TikTok creator. The beloved toys feature in videos from the Sylvanian Drama TikTok account, in which they are featured acting out adult sketches involving alcohol, drugs, cheating violence and murder but the Japanese manufacturer has taken exception to the social media content. Epoch Company Ltd have filed a copyright infringement case in the United States claiming that the videos are causing "irreparable injury" to the company's reputation. Thea Von Engelbrechten — the owner of the TikTok account that has amassed 2.5 million followers — has filed a counternotice claiming that her works are "parody". Sylvanian Families are sold as "an adorable range of distinctive animal characters with charming and beautiful homes, furniture and accessories". The toys, which have names like Freya the Chocolate Rabbit girl and Pino the Latte Cat baby, typically have wholesome adventures but the TikTok account features the toys with captions such as "My marriage is falling apart" and "My boyfriend won't post me on Instagram". @sylvaniandrama #drama #guineapigs ♬ Los Del Rio Macarena Bayside Boys Remix - Love music Old and New Court documents filed by Epoch earlier this month with the Southern District of New York accuse Von Engelbrechten of infringing the firm's copyright without permission, causing irreparable injury to its goodwill and reputation. It states that Von Engelbrechten, who hails from Ireland, said her inspiration for the Sylvanian Drama storylines are from "cringey TV shows and early 2000s comedy". The TikTok user added: "I'm also really inspired by my cats because they are extremely sassy and self-obsessed and can be so cute, but they also have no morals when it comes to killing other animals. I try to embody that with the Sylvanians." Quizzed on why she thinks the videos are so popular, Von Engelbrechten told Fohr: "Maybe it's because it's coming from the voice of a 22-year-old who struggles with the same things as (they do). "I have a lot of storylines about insecure people, diet culture, toxic men, and sustainability, which I think other girls my age are also thinking a lot about." A pre-trial conference date has been set for August 14, when representatives from both sides will meet to discuss settlement options or to prepare the case for trial. [[nid:718995]]
Fast Company
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Fast Company
‘Self-expression should be celebrated': Sylvanian Drama spills into real life as TikTok creator faces lawsuit
The internet-famous TikTok account Sylvanian Drama is now at the center of a real-world legal battle, as its creator faces a lawsuit from the brand behind the toys. If you're unfamiliar, Sylvanian Drama features Calico Critters acting out wild, often dark storylines involving kidnappings, drug abuse, and murder. One of its most viral videos, titled 'My marriage is falling apart,' has amassed 22.1 million views. A top comment calls it 'shakespearean.' Thea Von Engelbrechten, based in Kildare, Ireland, launched the account in 2021. She later dropped out of university as the account exploded in popularity (it now has 2.5 million followers) and has since collaborated with brands like Netflix, Burberry, and Sephora. But in April, the drama left TikTok and landed in court. Epoch Company—the parent brand of Sylvanian Families— filed a copyright lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, as first reported by the Irish Independent. The company accuses Von Engelbrechten of copyright and trademark infringement, as well as unfair competition. According to the complaint, 'Defendant is 'working to build Sylvanian Drama's own brand image' as an advertising and content creation service provider at the expense of Epoch's goodwill it has built over decades,' Vulture reports. Epoch states that TikTok had removed some videos following a Digital Millennium Copyright Act notice issued in October 2023. However, after failing to reach a lasting agreement with Von Engelbrechten, the company wrote that it 'had no choice but to file this lawsuit.' The case underscores a broader issue: the legal risks creators face when centering content around trademarked brands. Epoch is seeking statutory damages of up to $150,000 per infringed work, in addition to profits generated by the Sylvanian Drama account. A pre-trial conference is scheduled for August 14, during which both legal teams will explore settlement options or prepare for trial. Von Engelbrechten has not publicly addressed the lawsuit, and Sylvanian Drama has not posted on any platform since January. (Fast Company has reached out to her for comment.) Meanwhile, fans have flooded the account's pinned videos with messages of support. 'Someone make her a go fund me,' one commenter wrote. Creator Jeffrey Men, creator of the toy company Fancy Teddy, tells Fast Company, 'Self-expression should be celebrated, not suppressed. As a small, creator-led brand, I stand with anyone reimagining what toys can mean.'
Perth Now
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Perth Now
Sylvanian Families embroiled in TikTok drama legal row
Sylvanian Families are at the centre of a legal battle with a TikTok creator. The beloved toys feature in videos from the Sylvanian Drama TikTok account, in which they are featured acting out adult sketches involving alcohol, drugs, cheating violence and murder but the Japanese manufacturer has taken exception to the social media content. Epoch Company Ltd have filed a copyright infringement case in the United States claiming that the videos are causing "irreparable injury" to the company's reputation. Thea Von Engelbrechten – the owner of the TikTok account that has amassed 2.5 million followers – has filed a counternotice claiming that her works are "parody". Sylvanian Families are sold as "an adorable range of distinctive animal characters with charming and beautiful homes, furniture and accessories". The toys, which have names like Freya the Chocolate Rabbit girl and Pino the Latte Cat baby, typically have wholesome adventures but the TikTok account features the toys with captions such as "My marriage is falling apart" and "My boyfriend won't post me on Instagram". Court documents filed by Epoch earlier this month with the Southern District of New York accuse Von Engelbrechten of infringing the firm's copyright without permission, causing irreparable injury to its goodwill and reputation. It states that Von Engelbrechten, who hails from Ireland, said her inspiration for the Sylvanian Drama storylines are from "cringey TV shows and early 2000s comedy". The TikTok user added: "I'm also really inspired by my cats because they are extremely sassy and self-obsessed and can be so cute, but they also have no morals when it comes to killing other animals. I try to embody that with the Sylvanians." Quizzed on why she thinks the videos are so popular, Von Engelbrechten told Fohr: "Maybe it's because it's coming from the voice of a 22-year-old who struggles with the same things as (they do). "I have a lot of storylines about insecure people, diet culture, toxic men, and sustainability, which I think other girls my age are also thinking a lot about." A pre-trial conference date has been set for August 14, when representatives from both sides will meet to discuss settlement options or to prepare the case for trial.
The Irish Sun
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
What happened to Sylvanian Drama on TikTok? The legal fight over controversial viral clips explained
A VIRAL TikTok account that featured toys getting drunk, doing drugs and committing violence is reportedly at the centre of a legal battle. 1 Epoch is suing Sylvanian Drama for infringing its copyright The social media account, which has frequently gone viral for its darkly comedic skits featuring the small toys, mysteriously went quiet this year after it landed in legal hot water with the toys' maker. It is now being reported that Sylvanian Drama, which has 2.5 million followers on TikTok and 1 million on Instagram, is being sued for copyright infringement, trademark infringement and unfair competition. Why is the lawsuit only being reported now? Epoch's lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York on April 7, initially went unnoticed but drew attention last week when some outlets reported on the situation. It came after reporters noticed months of silence from the account. READ MORE IN NEWS The lawsuit, first reported by The Irish Independent, added that the site also uses a copyrighted image as Sylvanian Drama's social media profile picture. CCTV captures moment toy-loving boy crawls into claw machine The company claims that Thea Von Engelbrechten has been 'doubling her efforts to exploit Epoch's copyrights and trademarks for her own commercial gain' despite the company's attempts to work the issue out amicably. Sylvanian Families, also known as Calico Critters in the United States and Canada, are felt dolls in the shape of cute, anthropomorphized animals. They were first released in Japan in 1985. Most read in The Sun How did Sylvanian Drama become so popular? The creatures range from bunnies and kittens to squirrels and more, all with wide, black eyes and tiny clothing. The videos on Sylvanian Drama, all of which feature Calico Critters, often rack up millions of views each. Von Engelbrechten began posting Sylvanian Drama videos in 2021, when she was a 19-year-old multimedia student at She told The Tab in a 2023 interview that her videos were meant to parody shows like 'Gossip Girl' and 'Pretty Little Liars.' 'I'm always surprised that I'm not already canceled for the stuff that I do,' she said. 'I don't mean any harm and also … a lot of the issues that I joke about are problems in my own life. 'There's a lot of stuff about weight and dieting and people struggling with that, and that's all just me joking about myself. So I'm not making fun of anyone.' Inspiration for content As reported by the BBC, the court document states that in an interview with influencer marketing company Fohr, Von Engelbrechten said her inspiration for the storylines came from "cringey TV shows and early 2000s comedy". She added: "I'm also really inspired by my cats because they are extremely sassy and self-obsessed and can be so cute, but they also have no morals when it comes to killing other animals. 'I try to embody that with the Sylvanians." Asked why she thought her videos were so popular she told Fohr: "Maybe it's because it's coming from the voice of a 22-year-old who struggles with the same things as [they do]. 'I have a lot of storylines about insecure people, diet culture, toxic men, and sustainability, which I think other girls my age are also thinking a lot about." Do you have a Sylvanian Families toy worth up to £500 in your house? Anyone who grew up in the 80s will remember the cute Sylvanian Families toys - and some could now fetch you a pretty penny on eBay. The furry animals come in neat family sets (mum and dad, son and daughter), all with old-fashioned outfits, jobs and homes. The cute characters were first introduced in the UK back in 1985, after being designed by Japanese firm Epoch. And it seems like the older and rarer your models, the more they might now be worth online. Last year, a collector sold a rare Japanese doll from 2003 for a whopping £500 - almost five times its auction start price of £99. Another vintage Sylvanian teddy bear from the 1980s sold for £456. A date has been set for August 14 for a pre-trial conference. This is when legal teams from both sides will meet to explore settlement options or prepare the case for trial. Von Engelbrechten and Epoch have yet to respond to press requests for comment.
