‘Phillips Lady’ Phoebe Jonas sues over promotional bobblehead she says was created to cheat her out of pay ByΒ VICTORIA BEKIEMPIS
A former spokesmodel for Bayerβs laxatives claims the pharmaceutical giant is playing fast and loose with her image, according to new court papers.
From June 2016 to March 2018, Brooklyn-based actor Phoebe Jonas was the βPhillips Lady,β promoting Bayerβs digestive health products.
As the βPhillips Lady,β she starred in βnumerous national commercials that promoted several Bayer products, including, but not limited to, Phillips’, Colon Health Probiotics, Milk of Magnesia, laxative caplets, stool softener liquid gel tablets, and fiber gummies,β her Manhattan Supreme Court lawsuit states. βPlaintiff became known as the Phillips Lady due to her frequent appearances in Bayer commercials.β
After Jonasβ contract with Bayer expired this spring, Bayer βunilaterally continued to use the commercials on its website without plaintiff’s consent or permission through April 20, 2018.β
Without telling Jonas, Bayer also started using a bobblehead thatβs βidenticalβ to her as early as January, she said.
The suit alleges that βBayer created the bobblehead replica to avoid renegotiating the right to continue to use plaintiffβs likeness with plaintiff and continued to use her likeness (without consent).β
While Bayer has removed images of Jonas off its website after she complained, βadvertisements and video of the bobblehead of plaintiffβs likeness remains on Phillips’ website promoting the very same products plaintiff previously promoted as the Phillips Lady,β court papers state.
The suit, filed by lawyer Steven Mintz, seeks $500,000.
Asked for comment, Bayer spokesman Chris Loder said, βThis preposterous complaint is without meritβ and that βwe intend to fight these baseless claims.β
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