A truly outrageous news story has emerged. And it's not about a small local company, but about Samsung Electronics, a major player in our country.

Global pop star Dua Lipa has reportedly filed a lawsuit for $15 million, claiming that "my face was used on Samsung TV boxes without my permission."

While the amount is significant, what surprises people even more is the thought, "Could a global company like Samsung have overlooked such a basic issue?"

These days, global companies review every advertisement image and even a few seconds of music multiple times with their legal teams.

But a famous pop star's face ended up on product packaging? This has led to quite a puzzled reaction in the U.S.

Many people might recall the previous Nestlé incident as soon as they hear this news. In the U.S., there have been cases where companies faced enormous compensation due to similar issues.

This refers to the Nestlé Taster's Choice case. At that time, Nestlé used the face of a regular model on coffee product packaging for an extended period without proper usage rights, leading to a major lawsuit.

The details of the case are quite shocking. A model named Russell Christoff participated in a Nestlé coffee brand advertisement shoot in 1986. He was paid $150 for the shoot, and they agreed to a separate contract if his face was used on the actual product packaging. However, years later, he was shocked while shopping at a local Rite Aid store. He saw Taster's Choice coffee cans lined up with his face on them.

What's even more surprising is that Nestlé had used that image for a whopping six years in various countries around the world. Ultimately, Christoff filed a lawsuit for violation of his likeness rights, and a California jury determined that Nestlé had unlawfully profited from using his face.

As a result, Nestlé was ordered to pay approximately $15.6 million in damages. Even by the standards of that time, it was an enormous sum. One of the criteria for calculating the damages was a portion of the sales revenue, which also became a topic of discussion.

In the U.S., people are very sensitive about issues related to faces and likeness rights.

Especially for celebrities, their faces are worth money. The reason they can earn billions from a single advertising model contract is not without reason.

But this time, it's about a global pop star's face appearing on Samsung TV packaging.

According to Lipa's side, the photo in question was taken backstage at the 2024 Austin City Limits Festival, and Samsung allegedly used it extensively in the external design of the TV box.

What's even more outrageous is that Lipa's team claims they requested a cease of use, but it was denied. If true, this could escalate significantly.

In the U.S., such issues are not viewed as simply "they used a photo." They involve copyright, publicity rights, and trademark rights all at once.

Particularly, publicity rights refer to the concept of "the right to decide who profits from my face and name," which is extremely important in the American entertainment industry. Therefore, if a Hollywood actor or singer's face is misused, companies can often lose hundreds of millions.

People are even more surprised because Samsung is not a local company. They have global advertising, legal, and marketing teams, so the question arises: did they really not check the licensing in this process?

Comments on the internet include remarks like "Was it an AI design mistake?" and "Did a sample image actually make it to the final packaging?"

Of course, Samsung has not yet made a significant official statement. However, if Lipa's claims are true, it could seriously damage their brand image.

These days, global companies conduct extensive legal reviews even for a single advertisement. Just a few seconds of music used incorrectly can lead to lawsuits, and even a picture accidentally captured in the background can become an issue.

In such an era, a global pop star's face ended up on a Samsung TV box? Honestly, it's not surprising that people are reacting with, "Is this for real?"

Especially for a company like Samsung, which values its premium image, this issue is quite a painful one.

More than the money, the perception of "using a celebrity's face without permission" could be a heavier burden.

Moving forward, it will be crucial to see what position Samsung takes and whether there was actually a licensing agreement or not.