OK Go Claims Apple Ripped Off Its Video For The iPhone 6 Launch

Reuters/Fred ProuserOK Go in Hollywood.

OK Go claims Apple ripped off one of its videos to promote its iPhone 6 and Apple Watch launch event yesterday, Andy Gershon, manager of the indie-pop band OK Go told Bloomberg BusinessWeek.

It's not a mere coincidence, Gershon says:

He says the band met with Apple in April to pitch that visual concept as a potential video collaboration. Apple declined, so the band made its own video. Apple then hired 1stAveMachine, the production company behind OK Go's video, to make a video for its iPhone launch event; it also used the same director. Apple did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Watch the Apple video below:

The Apple video involves using different colored shapes shot from a variety of angles. As the camera pans about, the shapes form coherent messages, like an optical illusion.

The same visual trick is used in OK Go song "The Writing's On The Wall".

Here's the video for the OK Go song:

In this video, the band use the visual illusions to make it appear as if they are doing something they're not. For example, they use some drawn on steps to make it look like they are climbing stairs - a second later, you find out that it is an illusion and not an actual staircase.

And the band's claims that Apple copied their video may actually be true. Ok Go have enjoyed viral success with the song and the video, which has garnered nearly 10.5 million views on Youtube in less than three months. With help from directors 1stAveMachine, the band won this year's MTV Video Music Award for Best Visual Effects.

OK Go is exploring its potential legal options. This isn't the first time that Apple has experienced legal issues involving musicians. One of the most famous cases was when The Beatles's record label Apple Corps sued Apple for breaching a trade mark agreement by selling music in the iTunes store in 2003.