MANILA, Philippines – Local clothing brand Bench has refuted the report that Hollywood actor and "Twilight" cast member Taylor Lautner is their newest endorser.
Citing sources from Bench itself, a part of a PEP Scoopbox post on June 14 read: "'Twilight' star Taylor Lautner is NOT the new international endorser of Bench."
The frantic buzz about Lautner's supposed Bench endorsement stemmed from a column item by entertainment editor Ricky Lo published early Tuesday titled "Taylor Lautner tapped as new Bench endorser." In his piece, Lo related that the "latest good news" was relayed by a "sosyalista DPA (Deep Penetrating Agent)." He added though that his source did not say the specific type of apparel that Lautner would model.
Lo issued a clarification about his story on June 15, maintaining that the information "didn't come from Bench." He further said that his article "didn't say that there was any negotiation at all."
Prior to Lo's clarification, Joyce Ramirez Director for International Publicity of PR Asia Worldwide, the agency behind "Gossip Girl" star Ed Westwick's endorsement for another local clothing brand, Penshoppe, and his much-talked-about Manila visit two weeks ago, also dispelled the alleged Lautner-Bench collaboration, telling abs-cbnNEWS.com in an interview, "It doesn't exist."
"There's no authorization from the U.S. agency. It's illegal to use the name of an international artist without endorsement contracts," Ramirez added.
In a separate press statement, Ramirez—who is said to be in constant communication with US-based WME Entertainment, the agency that represents Lautner, reiterated, "His lawyers are now discussing all probable legal rights they have against the brand who used Mr. Lautner's name for the free publicity."
Lautner is "represented by the same US agency that also represents Ed Westwick," explains Ramirez.
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