Dua Lipa has filed a $15 million lawsuit against Samsung for using an image of her to sell televisions without paying for a license to use it. According to the lawsuit, filed Friday, Samsung has had Dua Lipa’s face on the box of some of its televisions for a year.
When Lipa saw the image, she asked the company to stop using it. In her lawsuit, she claims the company was “unacceptable and callous” and denied the request. “Ms. Lipa’s face was clearly used in a massive advertising campaign for a consumer product without her knowledge, without compensation, and over which she had no input, control, or input whatsoever,” the lawsuit states. “Ms. Lipa did not and would not authorize this use.”
Dua Lipa Samsung The lawsuit claims that Samsung is profiting from Dua Lipa’s appearance, which appears to endorse the product, which she has never done.
According to the complaint, Lipa owns the copyright to the photo, which was taken backstage at the Austin City Limits Festival in 2024. In fact, the lawsuit cites comments on social media, such as X, with users stating that the image inspired them to buy Samsung TVs.
“I wasn’t even planning on buying a TV, but I saw the box and decided to buy it,” wrote one commenter, who is quoted in the complaint. “I would buy this TV just because Dua Lipa is playing it,” wrote another. “I’m so obsessed. I love it so much.” Another wrote that if you need to sell something, “Just put a picture of Dua Lipa on it.”
According to the lawsuit, Dua Lipa has built a premium brand around her name, so she’s extremely selective about what she promotes. But regardless, this is clear copyright infringement, as well as violation of California’s right of publicity law, a federal claim under the Lanham Act, and trademark claims.
The lawsuit was filed in the Central District of California. It will be interesting to see how the case pans out and whether the court will force Samsung to recall and change all of its TV packaging.
