Navarro v. Procter & Gamble, 17-cv-00406 (S.D. Ohio)
Photographer Annette Navarro filed a complaint against Procter & Gamble (P&G) on June 14, 2017, accusing the consumer goods company of infringing her copyrighted photographs. Navarro worked with various modeling agencies to direct and produce multiple photographs for P&G.
In five instances outlined by Navarro, she allegedly discovered that P&G had been exceeding the license scope she had negotiated with the modeling agencies, who were acting as agents for P&G. When Navarro followed up with the agencies and P&G in each of the instances, she allegedly discovered that P&G had instead paid for separate, more expansive licenses from the modeling agencies. Navarro claims that the modeling agencies do not own her copyrighted photographs.
Navarro is seeking an injunction from alleged further infringement as well as damages. According to the complaint, experts have determined that damages exceed $75 million.