Warner Music Sues Ray-Ban Owner for $64 Million Over Unlicensed Social Media Ad Synchs
Italian eyewear conglomerate EssilorLuxottica is accused of using uncleared music by Taylor Swift, Drake, Dua Lipa and Rihanna.
Warner Music Group (WMG) has filed a lawsuit against Ray-Ban's parent company, EssilorLuxottica, alleging the use of hundreds of copyrighted works in unlicensed social media advertisements, seeking a total of $64 million in damages. The legal complaint, filed on October 9, accuses EssilorLuxottica, which owns brands such as Ray-Ban, Oakley, and Sunglasses Hut, of infringing on 427 copyrights owned by WMG.
The music company is demanding the maximum statutory damages of $150,000 per work, totaling the $64 million. The lawsuit claims that EssilorLuxottica's ads, featuring recordings from WMG's labels like Charli XCX, Dua Lipa, Drake, Rihanna, Taylor Swift, and Travis Scott, have been successful in selling eyewear while cutting out the music rights holders from the profits.
WMG asserts that EssilorLuxottica used the copyrighted works without consent, depriving the company and its artists and songwriters of control over how their art is used. EssilorLuxottica has not yet responded to the lawsuit. In recent years, major music rightsholders have been actively pursuing legal action against corporations using unlicensed tracks in social media ads, with many cases settling out of court.
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