Stefan Mileschin

A Miami artist whose work has been used in Coca-Cola, Disney and Mattel advertisements is suing Apple for stealing his style.

If Romero Britto is correct, Apple was “inspired” by his signature bold bright colours and cartoony figures in a recent marketing campaign.

The lawsuit claims Apple and its design firm mirrored Brazilian-born Britto’s style in artwork used in Apple’s “Start Something New” campaign.

Apple’s work uses a rainbow-coloured hand emitting multicolour wisps of smoke and at retail locations across the world, according to the lawsuit.

“I came across them in Las Vegas in late January, and then in China three weeks later,” said Britto’s lawyer Robert Zarco.

The suit demands Apple and the design firm Craig & Karl immediately stop using the images.

Britto’s “distinctive style of artwork has become so famous and pervasive as to constitute a distinctive trade dress that identifies the highly-coveted lifestyle brand,” the complaint said.

Britto’s vivid work is featured across Miami where it has made its way onto tourist and lifestyle goods that have been disbursed across the world. His art has been printed on the Florida lottery tickets, Barbie dolls, and baby strollers.

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