Fiji Water Girl Sues Fiji Water For Using Her Image Without Permission

Fiji Water Girl

The woman the world dubbed Fiji Water Girl has sued Fiji Water after they allegedly created a marketing campaign based off the viral Golden Globes moment without her permission.

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Said marketing campaign? Cardboard cutouts of Fiji Water Girl.

Fiji Water Girl, real name Kelleth Steinbach (professionally Kelleth Cuthbert), momentarily took over the internet when she photobombed a bunch of celebrity red carpet pics at the 76th Golden Globe Awards.

Since going viral, Steinbach has appeared on a bunch of talk shows, is a guest reporter for the Inside Edition and she even scored herself a guest role on The Bold and the Beautiful. 

According to documents, via The Blast, Steinbach alleges that – on the day after the ceremony – Fiji Water “intentionally created cardboard cutouts of Steinbach for use in a cardboard cutout marketing campaign.”

She claims that on January 8Fiji Water attempted to negotiate an agreement with Steinbach’s agent but on the following day, the model was contacted by someone who had already spied the cardboard cutout in the background of a John Legend paparazzi shot as he exited a grocery store.

The Golden Globes were held on January 7. 

Steinbach alleges Fiji Water offered “gifts to entice” her permission.

The document also claims Fiji “pressured Steinbach into video recording a fake signing of a fake document to stimulate Steinbach signing on as Fiji Water Ambassador.” 

Steinbach’s lawyers say this signing was not an official agreement and was later destroyed.

In a statement to The Blast, Fiji Water denied the claims.

“This lawsuit is frivolous and entirely without merit. After the Golden Globes social media moment, we negotiated a generous agreement with Ms. Cuthbert that she blatantly violated.”

“We are confident that we will prevail in Court. Throughout our history, we have had a sterling reputation working with talent,” they added.

Well then, happy Friday.

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