Most photographers and other types of artists in California want their work to receive the recognition that it deserves. While this includes that their work is actually seen, they also want proper compensation, a desire that sometimes results in litigation. One photographer in another state has recently filed a copyright infringement lawsuit against Procter & Gamble for allegedly using her work in unauthorized ways.
The 46-year-old photographer creates photographs used on packaging for a variety of companies who create personal care products, including P&G, which uses her photographs on packaging for Olay. She claims that she seeks licenses for her photographs that protects them for years. Her lawsuit states that she and P&G had an agreement that the company could use certain images in North America for a period of three years.
However, she accuses the company of attempting to cut marketing costs by using her images in countries not included in the original agreement. The issues came to her attention when agencies representing the models featured in the photographs complained about compensation. While P&G has reportedly since paid those agencies, an agreement for P&G to pay the photographer has been rejected because a representative for the artist claims that the company has not been transparent regarding the use of the images.
While it is understandable that a company wants to save money when it can, artists also deserve to be properly compensated for their work. When a dispute such as this arises, there may be no other choice than to turn to litigation in the pursuit of a resolution. An attorney with experience with cases involving intellectual property and copyright violations can help an artist protect his or her work.
Source: cincinnati.com, “Amid cuts, photographer sues P&G over copyright,” Alexander Coolidge, July 17, 2017
