March 30 – The world’s most famous footballer, Pelé, is suing Korean electronics giant Samsung in a Chicago federal court, claiming they improperly used his identity in The New York Times.
Pele alleges the company used a lookalike in a full-page advert that ran in the newspaper without permission.
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.
Although the ad does not mention Pelé by name, it includes a portrait-sized image of someone who “very closely resembles” the global superstar, and a small photo of a footballer making a “modified bicycle or scissors-kick, perfected and famously used by Pelé,” the complaint said.
The lawsuit was filed by Pele IP Ownership LLC, which owns Pelé’s trademark and publicity rights. The complaint said the advert will confuse consumers as well as hurt the value of Pele’s endorsement rights. It is seeking $30 million in damages.
“The goal is to obtain fair compensation for the unauthorised use of Pele’s identity, and to prevent future unauthorized uses,” Pelé’s lawyer, Frederick Sperling, told Reuters.
The 75-year-old Brazilian icon is reported to have earned $25 million from endorsements in 2014, when Brazil hosted the World Cup, according to Bloomberg Business. His value is likely to rise even higher this year with the Olympic Games being staged in Rio de Janeiro.
According to the complaint Samsung held talks with Pelé in 2013 about hiring him to endorse its products, but pulled out of negotiations at the last minute and “never obtained the right to use Pelé’s identity in any manner or in any format”.
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