Unless they are being crafted by Don Draper, nobody likes advertisements. Most of them are ludicrously stupid and a waste of time. In the last few years it has become common practice for movie theaters to show 20 minutes of commercials prior to the start of a film, but one Chinese woman has had enough of that, and now she has decided to take legal action.
The Calgary Herald reports that a lawyer named Chen Xiaomei has decided to sue Polybona International Cinema film distributors Huayi Brothers Media Corporation for "wasting her time and violating her freedom of choice " by not informing her as to how long the advertisements would last. Don't be confused, however, as she is not doing this out of greed. The amount she is suing for is 71 yuan - about $10.55. The price comes from the price of one movie ticket, the same total in compensation, and one yuan for emotional damages. She has also demanded a letter of apology. While this may sound like a hoax, the case has been accepted by the People's Court in Xian, though no court date has been established.
Just from this article I can tell you two things: I have no idea how the Chinese legal system works and I hope Chen wins. If she does, will it mean the end of advertising in movie theaters? Hell no. But there's just something that feels so good about standing up to the man.
