MGM: That’s Bond. <i> Our</i> Bond

A new ad campaign from Honda featuring a James Bond-like character has shaken and stirred Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc. into filing a lawsuit alleging the Japanese auto maker violated copyright laws.

Filing suit along with MGM in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles was Danjaq, producer of the popular series of Bond films that are in MGM’s United Artists library.

In addition to Honda, the lawsuit names as a defendant advertising agency Rubin Postaer & Associates. A Honda spokeswoman said the company was still reviewing the lawsuit.

At issue are 30- and 60-second commercials for the Honda Civic del Sol that feature a suave man reminiscent of the British secret agent.

Although the ads don’t mention Bond by name, MGM says they are a “patent rip-off of the essence of the James Bond character” and copy scenes from such Bond classics as “Dr. No” and “Goldfinger.”