TL;DR – What a turn of events.
We all know a friend who is always camera-ready but what about at events?
Canadian model Kelleth Cuthbert became known as Fiji Water Girl after photobombing a series of celebrities on the red carpet at the 2019 Golden Globes. Instead of turning away or making herself inconspicuous, she reveled in the spotlight and photobombed away in her on-brand blue dress while casually carrying a tray of Fiji water bottles.
After she became a viral sensation, she is now suing Fiji Water.
It all started when Fiji Water started a campaign that utilised the image of Cuthbert in cardboard cutout form.
In the complaint she filed to the Los Angeles County Superior Court, she says her appearance at the Golden Globes generated $12 million for the Fiji Water brand, and claims that this is Fiji Water unlawfully using her image. She says although she did meet with Fiji Water about a cardboard cutout campaign, she never gave the brand permission to use her “photograph, likeness or identity.” A representative for Cuthbert says this lawsuit was “a last resort for the model, who had hoped to discreetly resolve this dispute.”
Fiji Water has retaliated with a countersuit. The brand says she has “bitten the hand that feeds her.” Fiji Water says not only has she violated their agreement, but she “attempted to extort close to a half million dollars from Fiji because she wanted a better deal.”
According to Fiji Water, the $90,000 deal included an agreement that she would act as the Fiji Water ambassador for a year, appearing in 3 Fiji Water promotions and not advertising any other foods or beverages in her term as ambassador.
Court proceedings are still in progress and we can’t wait to see how this one unfolds.