Popular American confectionary chain Crumbl Cookies is facing legal action from Warner Music Group for allegedly using licensed songs in its promotional posts on TikTok.
Crumbl Cookies is an American cookie chain first founded in 2017 by two cousins, Jason McGowan and Sawyer Hemsley, who, at first, merely wanted to make the “perfect chocolate chip cookie.”
It wasn’t long before Crumbl became a viral hit, making waves on social media platforms, particularly TikTok, due to the cookies’ giant size and luxurious flavors that rotate on a weekly basis.
However, the company’s presence on that very app could land Crumbl in hot water, as it’s currently facing a lawsuit due to some of its videos.
WMG seeks $23.85M from Crumbl in copyright lawsuit
On Tuesday, April 22, Warner Music Group lodged a complaint against Crumbl in a Utah U.S. District Court, alleging that the bakery used “at least 159” of the record label’s recordings in videos posted to its Instagram and TikTok pages.
In the suit, WMG accuses Crumbl of using those songs to “build Defendants’ brand profile and drive massive sales to Defendants without any compensation to Plaintiffs.”
“While the Crumbl Videos have been instrumental to Defendants’ success, Defendants have not paid for the privilege to use the sound recordings and musical compositions that are featured in them,” the suit reads.
The songs in question include tracks from high-profile artists like Mariah Carey, Lizzo, Beyonce, Dua Lipa, Bruno Mars and more.
WMG is fighting for up to $150,000 in damages for each song used by Crumbl without permission — something that could rack up to a staggering $23.85 million if the maximum penalty for all 159 songs is granted.
That’s not all; the label is also seeking a permanent injunction against Crumbl, which would permanently prevent them from using any music under its umbrella, whatsoever.
Crumbl isn’t the only major food biz facing a lawsuit, though. Logan Paul and KSI’s joint sports bev brand, Prime Hydration, is also at the forefront of several suits, most recently getting sued by a blind man who accused its website of being inaccessible to him and other visually impaired users.
Content shared from www.dexerto.com.