Dua Lipa Slaps Samsung With $15 Million Lawsuit Over Alleged Use of Her Image to Sell TVs

Dua Lipa is suing Samsung, accusing the global tech company of using her image without permission to help sell televisions, which she says falsely suggested her endorsement and damaged her brand.

The lawsuit seeks at least $15 million in damages and centers on Samsung allegedly placing a copyrighted image of the singer — titled “Dua Lipa - Backstage at Austin City Limits, 2024” — on the front of retail TV boxes. According to the filing, Lipa owns all rights to the image and never authorized its use.

“Cases involving unauthorized use of a celebrity’s likeness often center on two major legal theories: right of publicity and false endorsement,” explained Tarlika Nunez-Navarro, a former Florida Circuit Court Judge and Dean of St. Thomas University College of Law. “The right-of-publicity claim focuses on whether a company commercially benefited from using a person’s identity… without permission.”

False endorsement claims, often brought under the Lanham Act, hinge on whether consumers could reasonably believe the celebrity endorsed or was affiliated with the product.

In this case, Lipa’s legal team argues that Samsung’s packaging created the impression she approved of the TVs, potentially influencing purchasing decisions.

The lawsuit points to social media posts as evidence. Screenshots included in the filing show fans reacting to the packaging, with one writing they would buy the TV “just because Dua is on it.”

“That is not just a legal exhibit. That is a public confession that Samsung's unauthorized use of Dua Lipa's face sold their product,” said Amore Philip, founder of Apples and Oranges Public Relations. “The brand benefited. She did not consent. That story writes itself.”

Samsung was allegedly asked to stop using the image and refused, which Philip says could shape public perception as much as the legal arguments themselves.

“That is not a legal technicality. That is a choice. And that choice is now the headline,” she said.

But Nunez-Navarro warned that “even unintended implications of endorsement can create substantial legal risk.”

“From a compliance standpoint, companies should ensure they have clear written licensing agreements and approval rights before using any celebrity image, likeness, or implied association,” she said.

Beyond potential financial damages, which could include licensing fees, profits tied to the alleged misuse, and reputational harm, the case underscores the value of celebrity branding.

Dua Lipa has built a high-end commercial image through partnerships with brands like Chanel, Versace, Apple, Porsche, and Nespresso. According to the lawsuit, Samsung’s actions risked diluting that carefully curated identity by suggesting an unauthorized endorsement.

“A celebrity's image is not public domain just because it is accessible,” Philip said. “Using her face on a TV box without her permission does not just violate her rights. It violates the integrity of a brand she has spent years building.”