Lordi Says Fakes Are Crap

Finnish authorities are launching an anti-piracy campaign that features Eurovision contest winners Lordi saying fake copies are crap.

"A pirate copy is often cheaper than the original one. But the truth is that they are always pure crap. Buying pirated products is robbing the livelihood of your favorite artists," Lordi explains on a poster designed by band members.

The campaign, which is being run by Finnish customs, will cover all kinds of counterfeit products – from music to medicine – and emphasize the risks they pose to consumers.

It will feature a series of posters that will be shown at customs points, harbours and airports throughout the country.

The initiative has the backing of Finland’s Copyright Information and Anti-Piracy Centre (CIAPC), which is producing the Lordi posters.

Stamping out piracy is one of the International Customs Organisation’s major goals and the campaign’s been designed to work throughout Europe. EU member states can either come up with their own posters or use the ones designed by Lordi.

IFPI chairman and chief exec John Kennedy said his organization is fully behind the campaign and that true music fans should know that if they buy a counterfeit CD they are robbing the artist, composer and producer who made the music they profess to love.

He also said the fans are probably helping to fund organised crime.

According to the CIAPC, the number of pirated copies imported to Finland has been reduced after last year’s amendment of the country’s copyright laws, which prohibited the import of any pirate products.

"The amendment of the law has had a clear effect on the import of pirate products and our physical piracy statistics have not been this positive in 10 years," said CIAPC director Antti Kotilainen.

In 2002, Finland was one of the largest EU pirate markets with nearly 4 million pirate discs coming through its borders in a year.

According to CIAPC figures, the situation’s improving rapidly. Last year, the number of imported pirate discs was down to 700,000.