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Dua Lipa is suing Samsung for $15 million because the electronics giant printed her image on television packaging without permission. Lipa’s legal team filed the lawsuit against Samsung Electronics on Friday in federal court in California – ROLLING STONE has the statement of claim.
“Ms. Lipa brings this action against Samsung for copyright infringement, trademark infringement, and infringement of her right to her own image to seek redress for Samsung’s continued, unauthorized commercial exploitation of her valuable image and identity on cardboard television packaging,” the lawsuit states.
Although Lipa has “collaborated with Porsche, Apple, Chanel, Tiffany & Co. and many other luxury and fashion brands,” the singer never signed an endorsement deal with Samsung. Nevertheless, a photo of her appears on the packaging of televisions with Samsung TV Plus, where she is used for the channel Xite Hits.
Samsung used photo without license
“Samsung, recognizing Ms. Lipa’s notoriety and reputation, used a copyrighted image of her (the ‘DL Image’) without permission or license – prominently on the front of cardboard packaging in which Samsung-produced retail televisions were sold,” the lawsuit alleges.
The photo, which Lipa “holds high quality commercial privacy and trademark rights to,” shows the singer backstage shortly before her performance at the 2024 Austin City Limits Festival.
According to the lawsuit, Lipa became aware of their appearance on Samsung packaging in June 2025. Shortly after, fans began commenting on social media about the “Dua Lipa TV Box.” “Another fan noted that he would ‘buy the TV just because of Dua.’ And another was apt: ‘If you want to sell anything, just put a photo of Dua Lipa on it,'” the lawsuit quotes.
Samsung is said to have ignored demands
“Samsung has mass-produced, distributed (or had distributed), marketed, and sold its televisions in large quantities in various sizes in these cardboard packages bearing the DL image, and sold them throughout the United States. Samsung’s reproduction and distribution of the DL image constitutes intentional copyright and trademark infringement, as well as a violation of Ms. Lipa’s right to her own image – with the aim of misusing her hard-earned success to sell its own products.”
Lipa’s lawyers added that Samsung was “dismissive and indifferent” to the “repeated requests to stop violating her rights.” “Samsung’s arrogance in failing to stop the infringement demonstrates its deliberate disregard for Ms. Lipa’s copyright and privacy rights – in an attempt to monetize its products at the expense of the implicit (false) association with Ms. Lipa as a sponsor of Samsung’s mass-marketed televisions,” the lawsuit states.
The lawsuit seeks damages “not less than $15 million” for “copyright infringement, trademark infringement, and the unauthorized use of Plaintiff’s image and identity.”
