TLDR: North Carolina State Senator DeAndrea Salvador has sued Omnicom Group, Whirlpool Corporation, and DDB Worldwide Communications Group LLC, alleging that her 2018 TED Talk was manipulated with AI and used without her consent in a Brazilian ad campaign. The ad, which also altered CNN Brazil broadcasts, won a Grand Prix at the Cannes Lions Festival, but the award was later withdrawn due to the use of AI-generated content. Salvador claims reputational harm and misuse of her likeness.
Raleigh, N.C. – North Carolina State Senator DeAndrea Salvador has initiated legal proceedings against advertising giant Omnicom Group, appliance manufacturer Whirlpool Corporation, and its subsidiary DDB Worldwide Communications Group LLC. The lawsuit, filed on Wednesday, August 20, 2025, centers on allegations that the defendants used AI-manipulated footage of Salvador’s 2018 TED Talk in a commercial without her authorization.
The ad, titled ‘Efficient Way to Pay,’ was created by DM9, a subsidiary of the DDB network, to promote Whirlpool’s Consul brand energy-efficient appliances in Brazil. According to the lawsuit, the campaign not only repurposed copyrighted footage from Senator Salvador’s TED Talk, which focused on making energy affordable for low-income families in the U.S., but also artificially manipulated CNN Brazil broadcasts. Salvador asserts that her voice and visuals were altered, placing her name, image, likeness, and persona in an unauthorized and distorted context.
Despite the ‘completely false and manipulated content,’ the defendants submitted the ad to the prestigious Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, where it initially won the 2025 Grand Prix in the Creative Data category. However, the award has since been withdrawn following an investigation that confirmed the use of AI-generated content, a violation of the festival’s rules.
CNN Brazil also lodged a formal complaint against DM9 and Whirlpool regarding the altered broadcast footage. While DM9 issued a public apology and removed the offending entry, CNN Brazil has stated it will not pursue further action.
Senator Salvador, a three-term state senator and founder/CEO of the Renewable Energy Transition Initiative, claims the ad has caused her significant reputational harm and severe emotional distress. She argues that the manipulation distorts her message and the public’s understanding of her values, which is particularly troubling given her role as a public official involved in shaping responsible technology policy and maintaining ethical boundaries.
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The lawsuit alleges misappropriation of likeness, unfair and deceptive trade practices, and violations of the Lanham Act through false advertising and unauthorized use of her image, likeness, and persona. This case highlights growing concerns over the ethical implications and legal boundaries of generative AI and synthetic media, especially in the context of public figures. Notably, a bipartisan House bill was introduced in the North Carolina General Assembly during the 2025 session, aiming to regulate deepfakes and deceptive advertising in elections and protect the public from such misuse of AI.
