Dua Lipa sues Samsung for $15m over TV box photo

The South Korean tech giant, Samsung, is accused of copyright infringement and breaching the pop star’s publicity rights in a lawsuit filed in a California federal court.

The suit alleges Samsung featured a copyrighted image of the "Levitating" singer on cardboard boxes, creating the false impression that she officially endorsed its products.

The specific image is titled "Dua Lipa - Backstage at Austin City Limits, 2024." The filing states that the singer is the sole owner of all rights to the photograph.

Lawyers for Dua Lipa claim the company knowingly benefited from her global fame. They attached social media screenshots as evidence, including one post in which a fan commented that they would buy the television "just because Dua is on it."

The singer reportedly became aware of the infringement last year and sent a cease-and-desist letter. However, the complaint claims Samsung's response was "dismissive and callous," and it "repeatedly refused" to stop its use of the image.

The filing alleges this unauthorised use has "caused and continues to cause dilution" of her "brand identity and commercial goodwill." It further claims this falsely conveys that she "approves of and endorses" the television.

Celebrity endorsement lawsuits are not new. One famous case involved Vanna White, who also sued Samsung in 1993. Similarly, singer Bette Midler successfully sued Ford Motor Company for using a "sound-alike" singer.

A spokesperson for Samsung Electronics has declined to comment on the pending litigation. Lipa's lawyers claim that televisions with the allegedly infringing packaging are still being sold.