Dua Lipa V. Samsung: A Masterclass In The “New Rules” Of Trademark Litigation

BusinessHollywood & EntertainmentDua Lipa v. Samsung: A Masterclass in the “New Rules” of Trademark LitigationByBradfield Biggers,Contributor.Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. Bradfield Biggers leads an Entertainment, Media & Music practice.for Legal EntertainmentFollow AuthorMay 14, 2026, 11:11am EDTMay 14, 2026, 11:15am EDT--:-- / --:--This voice experience is generated by AI. Learn more.This voice experience is generated by AI. Learn more.While Samsung denies any intentional misuse, Lipa’s legal team maintains that the company violated her copyright, trademark, and publicity rights by wrongfully making it appear that the Grammy-winner endorsed their product.Getty Images for The Recording AcademyGlobal pop star Dua Lipa recently filed a $15 million lawsuit against Samsung Electronics, alleging that the tech giant featured a copyrighted image of her on the cardboard boxes of their television sets without permission. While Samsung denies any intentional misuse, Lipa’s legal team maintains that the company violated her copyright, trademark, and publicity rights by wrongfully making it appear that the Grammy-winner endorsed their product.According to the lawsuit, filed May 8th, 2026 in a California federal court, Lipa is the owner of all rights, title, and interest in the image entitled “Dua Lipa - Backstage at Austin ​City Limits, 2024,” which was allegedly printed on the TV boxes. However, Samsung fired back that “the image was used only after receiving explicit assurance from the content partner that permission had been ‌secured, including ⁠for the retail boxes.”When any company, but especially a major player in the tech industry like Samsung, outsources work, it is imperative that they ensure trust in their third-party content partners. This becomes particularly vital when that content involves work that requires the partner to secure additional licenses from other parties, like Lipa in this case.Conversely, teams with v...