Global pop sensation Dua Lipa has launched a major legal battle against Samsung, accusing the electronics giant of using her image on television packaging across the United States without her permission.
The singer filed a federal lawsuit in California seeking more than $15 million in damages. According to court documents, her legal team claims Samsung used a backstage photograph of the artist on TV boxes sold nationwide since last year. The image allegedly appeared on packaging promoting Samsung televisions, creating what her lawyers describe as a false impression that Dua Lipa endorsed the products.
The lawsuit argues that Samsung violated her copyright, trademark protections, and “right of publicity,” a legal principle that protects celebrities from unauthorized commercial use of their likeness. Her attorneys insist the image belonged exclusively to the singer and that Samsung never secured direct approval for the campaign.
Court filings included photos of Samsung television boxes displaying a widescreen TV image that appeared to show part of Dua Lipa’s face on-screen. Lawyers for the Grammy-winning artist said the photo was taken backstage during a music festival in Austin in 2024.
According to the filing, Samsung used the image on a “significant portion” of television products sold in the U.S. market. The legal complaint also claims the company ignored repeated demands from Dua Lipa’s team to stop using the photograph over the past year.
Samsung has denied intentionally misusing the image. In a statement, the company said a third-party content partner originally supplied the photograph through Samsung TV Plus. The tech company added that the partner assured Samsung that all necessary permissions had already been cleared before the image appeared on product packaging.
Still, Dua Lipa’s legal team argues the company benefited commercially from the alleged unauthorized use. Lawyers pointed to social media reactions from consumers who claimed the singer’s image influenced their decision to purchase Samsung televisions.
One post cited in the lawsuit reportedly read: “I wasn’t even planning on buying a TV but I saw the box so I decided to get it.” Another fan allegedly wrote: “I’d get that TV just because Dua is on it.”
Legal experts say the case could become one of the entertainment industry’s most closely watched publicity-rights disputes this year. Nashville-based intellectual property lawyer Richard Busch noted that celebrity likeness rights exist specifically to prevent companies from implying endorsement deals that never existed.
The lawsuit also seeks a permanent injunction that would stop Samsung from using the image in future marketing or packaging campaigns without authorization.
The case now places one of the world’s biggest music stars against one of the largest technology brands globally. As the entertainment and consumer electronics industries continue to overlap through streaming platforms, digital advertising, and celebrity branding, the outcome could influence how corporations handle artist licensing agreements moving forward.
