Thor tangled in Web video flap

By Brian Childs
A little two part article this week from Metro

Part I

BROOKLYN. A video posted on Coney Island developer Thor Equities’ Web site and YouTube last week has ruffled some fins out in the seaside neighborhood.

The clip, which opens and closes with the Mermaid Parade logo, features costumed revelers professing their love of Coney Island and the parade. Then, in the last few seconds, a woman wearing a Viking helmet slips in: “The spirit of Thor matches that of Coney Island!”

The woman was Digna Rodriguez, a Thor Equities employee.

The video was designed as goodwill promotional material and showcased the High Steppers, a Brooklyn-based marching band Thor Equities sponsored in the parade. Absent from the video were the many protesters who marched in the parade to “Save Coney Island.” Many fear Thor’s proposals to transform Coney Island into a year-round attraction with upscale hotels will wash away the local character(s).

“Thor has just been sent an email,” Dick Zigun of Coney Island USA, the group that runs the Mermaid Parade, wrote on his Web site, “informing them that they have NO PERMISSION to use the name or logo MERMAID PARADE within their FUTURE OF CONEY ISLAND logo such as they have done at the start and finish of the YOU TUBE piece.”

Thor spokesman Lee Silberstein defended the video.

“As the largest investor in Coney Island, Thor Equities has supported a number of community-based organizations and activities, including the Mermaid Parade,” Silberstein said. “Thor was delighted to participate in the parade, and some of Thor’s employees shared their experience by posting the video on YouTube.”

Part II

BROOKLYN. Thor Equities has modified a Web site it hosts and a video it made about Coney Island and the Mermaid Parade.

Earlier this week, Metro reported the video, which used the logo from the parade, had drawn fire from parade organizer Dick Zigun of Coney Island USA, who sent an e-mail to the developer saying it had “NO PERMISSION to use the name or logo MERMAID PARADE within their FUTURE OF CONEY ISLAND logo such as they have done.” The video was posted on Thor’s site, www.thefutureofconeyisland.com and on YouTube.

The video featured costumed locals proclaiming their love for Coney Island. At the end, an unidentified woman, who happened to be Thor employee Digna Rodriguez, says, “The spirit of Thor matches that of Coney Island!”

The day after Metro’s story appeared, the YouTube version was pulled down. Yesterday, the video on Thor’s Web site was still posted, but the logo was modified to say “Thor Equities at Mermaid Parade 2007.”

“Thor has taken down the video and is re-editing the title and closing. This was a minor thing blown all out of proportion,” said Zigun. “My dream is that we can all get along and all work together on behalf of Coney Island.”

A Thor spokesman dec-lined to comment yesterday.