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Sarkozy pair win Ryanair ad case

French President Nicolas Sarkozy and his bride Carla Bruni have won a case against low-cost airline Ryanair for using their picture without consent.

But the court in Paris awarded Ms Bruni only 60,000 euros (US$89,000; £45,000) - a fraction of the 500,000 euros she had asked for.

Mr Sarkozy was given the symbolic single euro he had claimed for himself.

The couple sued over an advert which showed Ms Bruni saying: "With Ryanair, all my family can attend my wedding."

The advert appeared in France before the couple's wedding on Saturday.

'No offence meant'

Ms Bruni - a former model - said 500,000 euros would have been her normal professional fee for appearing in an advertisement.

But the court put her loss of earnings at only 60,000 euros.

Ryanair had apologised before the case came to court for using the couple's image without their consent, insisting it meant no offence.

Ryanair said: "In the light of the extraordinary worldwide publicity generated by this single advert, we have instructed our lawyers to write to President Sarkozy's office, offering to make a similar 60,000 euro payment to any French charity of President Sarkozy's choice."

It also said it would not run the advertisement again.

The couple's relationship has been front-page news worldwide since it began late last year, after the president's divorce.

The court also ordered the airline to publish its verdict in the newspaper which had carried the original advertisement.

Source: BBC News 

This isn't the first time that Ryanair has produced a controversial ad:

Can you remember another controversial ad? What was the controversy? Do you know a memorable or effective advert?

Complete the following sentences with a word (in the correct form) from the article above.

1. Britsh Airways announced a ________ of 30 million Euros compared to a profit of 50 million Euros this time last year.
2. I usually have time to make a cup of tea while the _______ are on.
3. The politician decided to _______ the paper over allegations it printed at the weekend.
4. The ________ looked nervous as she walked up the aisle.
5. The jury took just half an hour to deliver a guilty _________ .
6. Many people can't afford the legal _______ that lawyers charge.
7. The man was _________ a grant to set up his own business.
8. The secretary _________ for damages against her previous employer.