Dua Lipa filed a $15 million lawsuit against Samsung, alleging unauthorized use of her photo on TV packaging for sales.
Dua Lipa is taking a multimillion-dollar legal fight to court after accusing Samsung of using her likeness on TV packaging to drive sales without her permission.
The 30-year-old entertainer filed suit on Friday, May 8, in the Central District of California, seeking $15 million. The complaint, as reported, alleges the electronics company used her image as part of a mass marketing campaign while selling televisions.
At the center of the case is a photo of Lipa performing at the Austin City Limits Festival. According to the lawsuit, Samsung began using that image on TV packaging starting last year. The legal filing claims that once she became aware of the use, she asked the company to stop.
Dua Lipa’s complaint alleges Samsung responded in a dismissive way, refusing her request.. The filing states her face was prominently featured for marketing a consumer product “without her knowledge” and without allowing her any “say. control. or input.” It also argues she did not allow the use and would not have approved it.
The lawsuit also contends that Samsung profited from the packaging campaign while using an image that Lipa says she owns the copyright to.. She is described as having built a “premium brand” and the suit portrays her as “highly selective” when it comes to endorsements—an approach she says Samsung bypassed.
As part of her argument. the complaint points to social media posts on X (Twitter) that allegedly connect viewers’ buying decisions to seeing her image on the box.. One user wrote they were not planning to buy a TV until they saw the packaging and decided to purchase.. Another comment claimed they would get the TV because Dua Lipa was on it. adding that the person was “obsessed.” A third post suggested that if someone needs to sell a product. “Just put a picture of Dua Lipa on it.”
Lipa’s legal claims go beyond copyright language.. The filing also alleges violations of California’s right of publicity statute. includes a federal Lanham Act claim. and raises trademark-related claims.. Together. those counts reflect the different angles the lawsuit is pursuing—ranging from unauthorized use of her image to how the marketing may have been presented to consumers.
The case highlights how celebrity branding increasingly overlaps with mainstream retail packaging. where a single photo can become a sales tool at scale.. For Lipa. the complaint is essentially arguing that her image is not just a marketing detail—it is an asset tied to consent. ownership. and the boundaries of endorsement.
If the allegations are proven. the dispute could also serve as a warning for major brands that rely on recognizable faces to build trust and desire quickly.. Even before any court outcome. the lawsuit signals that high-profile entertainers are willing to challenge how their likeness is used. especially when they say they never agreed to be part of the campaign.
As of now, the suit is pending, with Lipa seeking the damages outlined in her filing and arguing Samsung’s actions were not authorized or welcomed. The next steps will hinge on how the court addresses the claims and whether Samsung disputes both the use and the claimed impact on buyers.
Dua Lipa Samsung lawsuit TV packaging copyright violation right of publicity Lanham Act celebrity endorsements