“Samsung’s infringing conduct—using Ms. Lipa’s assets for zero consideration—makes a mockery of her hard work in establishing a successful brand and has deprived her of the ability to control and monetize her assets,” the lawsuit says.
Dua Lipa has filed a $15 million lawsuit against Samsung, accusing the electronics giant of using her image on television packaging without having first obtained her consent.
According to The New York Times, attorneys for Lipa accused the South Korea-based company of infringing upon their client’s copyright and trademark rights. The lawsuit also alleges that Samsung violated her “right of publicity.”
The celebrity plaintiff’s claim, filed last Friday in U.S. District Court for the District of Central California, seeks more than $15 million in total damages.
Lipa’s legal submissions included photographs of a cardboard box featuring a widescreen Samsung television that appeared to show part of the singer’s face. The photograph appears to be identical to one taken of Lipa at a music festival in 2024. Her lawyers say the image was obtained without permission.
“Samsung mass-manufactured, distributed (or caused to be distributed), marketed, and sold in interstate commerce across the United States a vast number of its televisions in various sizes in these cardboard boxes containing the [image],” the lawsuit alleges.
“Samsung’s infringing conduct—using Ms. Lipa’s assets for zero consideration—makes a mockery of her hard work in establishing a successful brand and has deprived her of the ability to control and monetize her assets,” the lawsuit says.
The lawsuit claims that Samsung used the same packaging for a “significant portion” of all widescreen television sets sold in the United States since last year.
“Ms. Lipa did not allow and would not have allowed this use,” the lawsuit says.
Lipa’s lawyers now claim that the revenue generated by Samsung from sales involving the singer’s likeness were “inextricably tied to the false message conveyed to consumers that Ms. Lipa has endorsed the Infringing Products when she has not.”
Critically, Lipa’s legal team says that they spent more than a year repeatedly asking Samsung to stop using packaging with her face on it.
The court filing includes screenshots from social media posts.
“I wasn’t even planning on buying a tv but I saw the box so I decided to get it,” one comment read. Another said, “I’d get that tv just because Dua is on it. That’s how obsessed I am.”
Aside from damages, Lipa has also asked the court to issue an order prohibiting Samsung from continuing to use the image without first obtaining her explicit permission.
Sources
Dua Lipa sues Samsung for $15M over image on TV boxes
Dua Lipa Sues Samsung Over Use of Her Image on TV Packaging
Samsung made a “mockery” of Dua Lipa by putting her picture on TV boxes, lawsuit says
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