LOS ANGELES, May 10 — Grammy-winning pop star Dua Lipa has filed a US$15 million (RMXX billion) lawsuit against Samsung Electronics, accusing the tech giant of using her image on TV packaging without permission.
Chosun Biz reported that according to a complaint filed May 8 with the US Central District Court of California, Samsung allegedly placed a photo of the British singer on the front of its television boxes and sold the products nationwide.
The disputed image, titled "Dua Lipa – Backstage at Austin City Limits, 2024," is registered with the US Copyright Office, and Lipa's legal team argues that the company had no right to reproduce it commercially.
The lawsuit alleges that Samsung never obtained a license or any form of permission, and that the unauthorised use could lead consumers to mistakenly believe Lipa had endorsed the products. Lipa's side also claims the company leveraged her image and reputation to boost sales, amounting to false advertising and false endorsement.
Lipa's legal team reportedly sent a cease-and-desist letter last June requesting that Samsung halt sales and stop infringing on her publicity rights, but alleged that sales continued without meaningful action. The complaint includes social media posts as evidence, such as an X user who wrote, "I wasn't planning to buy a TV, but I saw Lipa on the box and bought it".
In addition to at least US$15 million in compensatory and punitive damages, Lipa is seeking an injunction to stop sales of the infringing products and payment of attorney fees. Her legal team argues that the unauthorized campaign is especially harmful to the singer, who carefully curates her public image and selectively chooses her endorsement deals.
Dua Lipa, a British singer who debuted in 2017, has won three Grammy Awards and seven Brit Awards to date.
