Samsung has yet another lawsuit on their hands, but this time, it has nothing to do with tech patents. According to Reuters, Brazillian football legend Pelé is suing Samsung for USD30 million.
In a complaint filed this month the federal court of Chicago, Pelé claims that Samsung has improperly used a look-alike in an advertisement that ran in the New York Times without permission. Orginally, both parties were in discussion over using Pelé’s image to promote the Korean company’s new line of UHD televisions, but negotiations fell apart in 2013.
The complaint states that while the ad does not mention Pelé, the portrait-sized image of a man “very closesly resembles” the footballer, and a small photo of a soccer player making a “modified bicycle or scissors-kick, perfected and famously used by Pelé.” The complaint further states that Pelé relies on endorsements for much of his income, and the ad would hurt the value of his endorsement rights and confuse consumers into believing he endorses Samsung products.
Originally filed by Pele IP Ownership LLC on the 16th of March, Pelé’s lawyer, Federick Sperling, stated that the lawsuit aims to “obtain fair compensation for the unauthorized use of Pelé’s identity, and to prevent future unauthorized uses.”
Samsung has yet to comment on this matter.
Source: Reuters
