Football legend sues Samsung for ad impersonation

folarin okunola

April 1, 2016 3:37 PM

The ad in question doesn't actually mention Pele's name but it does have a potrait-sized image of a man who "very closely resembles" him.

Samsung ad with alleged Pele look-alike

Football legend Pele is suing Samsung, according to numerous media reports.

Media reports reveal that the 75-year old Brazilian is suing the Korean tech giant for $30 million, saying the South Korean electronics giant improperly used a look-alike in an advertisement that ran in the New York Times without his permission.

The complaint, filed this month in Chicago, says 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.

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The ad in question doesn't actually mention Pele's name but it does have a potrait-sized image of a man who "very closely resembles" him, along with a small photo of a soccer player making a "modified bicycle or scissors-kick, perfected and famously used by Pelé".

The complaint said Pele relies on endorsements for much of his income and as such the ad will hurt the value of his endorsement rights and confuse consumers into believing he endorses Samsung products.

"The goal is to obtain fair compensation for the unauthorized use of Pele's identity, and to prevent future unauthorized uses," said Pelé's lawyer, Frederick Sperling.

A spokeswoman for Samsung, Danielle Meister Cohen, declined to comment on the issue, according to Innovation Village.

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