Image of Imelda Marcos on her 93rd birthday causes stir amid copyright claims

Picture of the mother of Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos Jr from 'The Kingmaker' has been used without permission

Ferdinand Marcos Sr and his wife Imelda visit the White House and pose with Lyndon and Lady Bird Johnson, circa 1965. Getty Images

Imelda Marcos, wife of the president of the Philippines, with her son Ferdinand Jr, arriving at Claridge's Hotel, London, in 1970. Getty Images

Philippines first lady Imelda Marcos arrives at the Elysee Palace in Paris in 1976. AFP

Surrounded by supporters, Philippines president Ferdinand Marcos, his wife Imelda and vice president Arturo Tolentino make the victory sign after winning presidential elections in Manila in 1986. AFP

Imelda Marcos, accompanied by her son Ferdinand 'Bongbong' Marcos Jr, returns to the Philippines in 1991 to face charges of raiding the country's coffers. AFP

Imelda Marcos waves a white handkerchief as her motorcade arrives in the home town of former president Ferdinand Marcos, in Laoag, 1991. AFP

Imelda Marcos, right, and her children Ferdinand Marcos Jr and Imee Manotoc sing the Philippines national anthem as they stand by the coffin of Ferdinand Marcos Sr in 1993. AFP

Imelda Marcos speaks to her followers in Manila during their own celebration to mark the 10th anniversary of the downfall of her husband, the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos, in 1996. AFP

Imelda Marcos talks to the press in Leyte in 2006. AFP

Imelda Marcos walking past documents pertaining to her pending court cases during an interview with AFP at her residence in Manila in 2009. AFP

Imelda Marcos is assisted to her car after visiting the tomb of former Philippine president and late dictator Ferdinand Marcos on National Heroes' Day in Manila in 2017. AFP

Imelda Marcos taking the witness stand during a hearing at the graft court in Manila in 2018. AFP

Imelda Marcos, mother of the Philippines presidential candidate Ferdinand Marcos Jr, is led through a polling station during the election in Batac, Ilocos Norte. AFP

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr, centre, stands with his mother Imelda Marcos, left, and his wife Maria Louise Marcos, right, during the presidential inauguration ceremony at National Museum on Thursday, June 30, 2022 in Manila, Philippines. Marcos was sworn in as the country's 17th president. AP Photo

Imelda Marcos is used to being the subject of controversy, but this time she's not the cause of it. Instead, it's a Philippines media company that's come under fire.

A photograph of the mother of Philippines President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr was used as part of an advertisement campaign for her 93rd birthday.

Scroll through the gallery above to see photos of Imelda Marcos through the decades

The billboard, which was seen in the City of Mandaluyong on Saturday, shows the former first lady in a red gown, with the caption "Happy 93th Birthday First Lady Imelda Romualdez Marcos".

It wasn't only the glaring spelling mistake (93th) that got people talking, but the fact the image was taken from the 2019 documentary The Kingmaker, which centred on the career of Imelda and the lives of her family members.

"Clearly, whoever stole my image to wish Imelda Happy Birthday doesn’t understand copyright infringement," wrote American director Lauren Greenfield on Twitter, in a post that has been liked more than 30,000 times.

In a separate post, Greenfield, who is also an artist and documentary photographer, calls out Digital Out-of-Home Ph, the company that owns the billboard, and its founder Alvin Carranza, "a known Marcos apologist", she wrote.

"Regardless of his political views, the media industry is not going to appreciate copyright infringement as it puts everyone’s IP at risk of abuse. Bad business!"

It didn't take long for Digital Out-of-Home Ph to issue an apology.

"We must confess that we were unaware of your copyright, and we appreciate that you brought the matter to our attention," the company said.

Their statement went on to say that as soon as they were made aware of the situation, "we immediately took the greeting down".

"We take full responsibility for the mistake, and we are truly sorry."

Plenty of Twitter users weighed in on the controversy, with one posting a photo of another billboard elsewhere in Manila using the same image.

"The photo clearly belongs to Ms. @lgreen66 Lauren Greenfield, director of the documentary film, The Kingmaker," wrote another user alongside a picture of the film's poster.

Imelda is the mother of Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr, who was sworn in as the 17th president of the Philippines on June 30. He is the son of ousted dictator Ferdinand Marcos, Imelda's husband and 10th president of the Philippines, who died in 1989.

Greenfield is also known for her work on The Queen of Versailles, a 2012 documentary that follows a billionaire couple as they begin construction on a mansion inspired by Versailles, as well as 2006's Thin, the story of four women suffering from anorexia and bulimia in South Florida.

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