A Northern California high school football team, the Lincoln High School Fighting Zebras, just got hit with a legal threat from In-N-Out, forcing them to yank their viral media day photo shoot offline. Yeah, you read that right. Their awesome, super popular Instagram photos are gone because the fast-food giant wasn’t having it.
The “Animal Style” Shoot That Went Viral
These kids from Lincoln, up in Placer County, had an epic idea for their media day. They hit up their local In-N-Out, a spot that’s apparently a huge part of their program’s culture and a staple hangout for the team. The local manager even opened early for them, a real solid move. The photos and behind-the-scenes reel on Instagram showed the players having a blast, posing like they were slinging burgers at the drive-thru or taking orders inside, even mugging in front of the menu. It wasn’t just a photoshoot; it was a celebration of their community. One post’s caption even said, “The history of Fighting Zebras and In n Out runs deep,” and they thanked “Andrew from In n Out for allowing some animal style players to bring the herd to our favorite stomping grounds.” You could feel the pride in #zebrastrong and #onceazebraalwaysazebra. Photographer Glenn Silva, who had done plenty of high school sports shoots but nothing like this, said it perfectly: “It showcases a little bit more than just football… It showcases where they hang out because those are memories.”
600,000 Views and a Corporate Takedown
This shoot blew up. One video alone racked up over 600,000 views and a massive 26,100 likes. It was pure gold, showing the human side of high school athletics. But less than 30 minutes after Silva even talked to a reporter about the shoot, both he and the Fighting Zebras got hit with an email from In-N-Out’s trademark team. The subject line? “Unauthorized Filming and Photography at In-N-Out Burger – Immediate Removal Request.” Turns out, In-N-Out is super “stingy with promotion and media access,” and apparently, corporate approval is needed. The company argued that even with the local manager’s blessing, the team didn’t have the green light from the top. In-N-Out “respectfully but firmly” gave them three business days to scrub every single post. Their email said, “In-N-Out Burger takes the protection of its brand, trademarks, and trade dress very seriously. The unauthorized use of our restaurant premises, signage, logos, or any other pro…” Talk about a buzzkill, right? These kids just wanted to share their team spirit and love for a local spot, and corporate lawyers came down hard. What a way to shut down some awesome, organic community engagement.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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