Usually when we report about Samsung’s legal headaches, Apple is involved. But not this time…
Pelé has filed a lawsuit against Samsung for $30 million in a dispute over “an improperly used look-alike” in an advertisement, Reuters reports.
The retired Brazilian football legend, whose real name is Edson Arantes do Nascimento, claims his likeness was used in the New York Times ad “without permission”.
The advertisement in question
The ad does not mention Pelé by name, but features a portrait of a man who looks very similar to the retired footballer, set alongside a TV screen of a football match.
According to the complaint, Samsung “placed the October ad for ultra high-definition televisions after breaking off negotiations in 2013 to use Pelé’s identity to promote its products”.
Pele in 2010
The complaint was filed on March 16 in federal court in Chicago, with Pelé’s lawyer Frederick Sperling saying:
“The goal is to obtain fair compensation for the unauthorised use of Pelé’s identity, and to prevent future unauthorised uses.”
Do you think Samsung has been sneaky? Let us know in the comments.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.