Dua Lipa filed a lawsuit against Samsung Electronics in the USA. The famous singer claims compensation of at least 15 million dollars, stating that Samsung used an image of her on television boxes without permission. The case covers claims of copyright, trademark and right of publicity violations. Dua Lipa says Samsung used unauthorized images on TV boxes. According to the case file, Samsung included a copyrighted photo of Dua Lipa on the front of the cardboard boxes of retail televisions.
The singer’s lawyers state that this use creates the impression on consumers that Dua Lipa approves or supports the products in question. It was reported that the visual mentioned in the file was titled “Dua Lipa – Backstage at Austin City Limits, 2024”. In the lawsuit application, it was stated that all rights on this image belong to Dua Lipa. The application was filed in the federal court in California. Dua Lipa’s side argues that Samsung is taking advantage of the singer’s brand identity and commercial reputation with this use.
Lawyers also added to the file that having the image on the front of TV boxes increases consumer interest in the products. Screenshots from social media posts and comments were included in the application. In one of these examples, it was stated that a fan said that he would buy the television just because Dua was wearing it. According to the case file, Dua Lipa learned that Samsung was using the image in question in June last year.
The singer’s side then asked Samsung to stop the use of the image. Lawyers stated that the company did not stop the use despite this request. Samsung denied the allegations. The company announced that the image was provided by a third-party partner that produces Dua Lipa-related content for Samsung’s free streaming service. In its statement, Samsung stated that the image was used only after receiving clear assurance from this business partner that the necessary permissions, including retail boxes, were obtained.
Samsung also stated that it was open to a constructive solution with Dua Lipa’s team and had contacted in this direction. Dua Lipa’s lawyers did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The case brought the licensing chain between technology companies’ product packaging, streaming service content and celebrity images back to the agenda. During the process, the court will evaluate the copyright ownership on the image, Samsung’s usage style, the role of the third-party content provider and the consumer’s perception of consent.
Comments
You can write your views about this story. Comments may be moderated according to site settings.