Actress Katherine Heigl sues Duane Reade in $6 million lawsuit

Using someone else's image without permission can land a business in serious legal trouble. Misappropriation of an image is an intellectual property rights violation that can carry potentially steep penalties, from costly litigation to other major damages. 

New York City pharmacy Duane Reade is being sued by actress Katherine Heigl over a tweet the company sent out. As part of the company's social media marketing, Duane Reade posted a paparazzi photo of the actress carrying Duane Reade shopping bags to its Twitter and Facebook pages along with commentary saying that Heigl had shopped there.

However, Heigl was not pleased with the company's actions, and reportedly asked for the posts to be removed, according to CNN. Although Duane Reade did not have permission to use Heigl's image, the company was said to have declined her removal request and is now facing a $6 million lawsuit. 

In a similar instance, Samsung recently received backlash from the White House when David Ortiz, one of the company's brand ambassadors, took a photo with President Obama and used it for promotional purposes on Twitter, without prior consent. 

It might seem like an appealing marketing move to use a celebrity to draw attention to a product or business. However, if a company does not have the necessary legal rights and permissions to do so, they could end up with a lawsuit. If Duane Reade had been better informed about intellectual property law, the company may have been able to avoid this potentially costly mistake. 

If you have questions about the rules and regulations surrounding intellectual property and copyright law, consult a small business attorney. With informative legal counsel from a Phoenix small business attorney, your business will be prepared to handle important copyright issues.

Categorised in: Intellectual Property Law

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