Introduction:A-list actress Jia Ling successfully sued a manufacturer in Anhui for illegal use of her likeness on black coffee product packaging, winning a compensation of one hundred thousand yuan. This case reveals common legal loopholes in "celebrity-endorsed" products on the market, explains how courts determine the elements of portrait infringement, and reminds consumers to identify false endorsement traps.
Director and actress Jia Ling recently won a lawsuit in an Anhui court. A local company that produces "Ms. Jia Black Coffee" was found guilty of using her cartoon image of boxing without authorization on the product packaging and implying weight loss benefits. The company was ordered to pay economic damages of one hundred thousand yuan. The case originated during the release of Jia Ling’s film *YOLO*, which focused on weight loss — prompting the market to flood with black coffee products claiming to be “Jia Ling’s choice.”
The court judgment stated that the involved Anhui-based health industry development company, printed a highly recognizable cartoon image of Jia Ling boxing prominently on the outer packaging of its "Ms. Jia™ Black Coffee." The image was not authorized by Jia Ling. This act not only violated portrait rights protection laws but also exploited the public figure's image to enhance the product's commercial appeal, constituting an actual infringement.
Notably, the defendant company argued that it had only produced five thousand boxes of the product and shifted responsibility for the packaging design to its supply chain partner, claiming it could not identify the image as Jia Ling. However, the court investigation found that the coffee product was sold on major e-commerce platforms such as Taobao, Pinduoduo, and JD.com, and its packaging design clearly leveraged the celebrity effect.The facts of the violation are clear-cut..
In the lawsuit, Jia Ling requested, in addition to financial compensation, that the defendant immediately cease production of all infringing products, completely destroy existing promotional materials, and publicly issue an apology statement. The court ultimately ruled in favor of Jia Ling’s main claims, clearly determining that the defendant’s actions severely harmed the commercial interests within her portrait rights and could mislead consumers into believing there was an official endorsement relationship.
This ruling serves as a wake-up call regarding the rampant marketing tactics of "celebrity-endorsed" products on the market. Many businesses often leverage popular films or public figures to launch so-called functional foods claiming benefits such as weight loss or health enhancement, yet they frequently do so without proper authorization. Consumers should pay special attention to whether the product packaging clearly indicates official endorsement information, to avoid being misled by false marketing claims.
Legal experts point out that portrait rights protection applies not only to real photographs but also to clearly identifiable cartoon or illustrated images. If a company uses similar designs or indirect implications without explicit written authorization, it may still pose legal risks.Although the compensation amount in this case is one hundred thousand yuan, it is already considered a relatively high ruling in similar infringement cases, reflecting the court’s emphasis on the commercial value of a celebrity’s portrait.
The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.
