Image by Getty Images via @daylifeBritney Spears Bites Back at Marketing Firm
LOS ANGELES (CN) - Britney Spears fired back at the marketing firm that said the pop princess illegally cut it out of her perfume deal with Elizabeth Arden. Spears filed her own lawsuit claiming she promised the company only limited royalties.
In March, Brand Sense sued Spears, her father, Jamie Spears and her company, Britney Brands in Superior Court, claiming it had orchestrated the deal with Elizabeth Arden, making millions for Britney and her company in 2004 in exchange for 35 percent of her profits.
But 6 years later, Brand Sense claimed it caught Spears' dad "red-handed" trying to cut the marketing company out of payments for Britney's "Radiance" perfume. Brand Sense said Jamie Spears told Elizabeth Arden to send all royalties directly to Britney Brands, in violation of the original deal that sent the money to Brand Sense to divvy up.
Brand Sense claimed Jamie Spears admitted that Britney's camp still owed it on the perfume deal but "complained that the commission was too high and said that Britney did not want to pay it," according to the March lawsuit.
Brand Sense demanded $10 million, claiming the contract guaranteed it royalties on all perfumes developed by the partnership between Britney and Elizabeth Arden.
"Britney knew that the Radiance brand and all future fragrance brands were and are included under the parties' agreements," the March lawsuit states.
But Britney's new lawsuit, filed Wednesday, contests that claim.
The pop star's company filed a cross-complaint claiming the contract with Brand Sense only applies to the three perfumes it has already created with Elizabeth Arden, not to any other fragrances they may release in the future.
Britney Brands also claims that the marketing firm withheld its royalties.
The company was supposed to provide a monthly accounting "for the many millions of dollars in royalties it received from Elizabeth Arden," according to the complaint. "Instead, Brand Sense was improperly retaining Britney's share of these proceeds - often for several months - and without paying Britney any interest on the wrongfully retained funds."
Britney Brands demands damages, an accounting of royalties and a declaration that Brand Sense is not entitled to royalties from perfumes Britney and Elizabeth Arden have yet to launch.
Howard Weitzman of the Santa Monica firm Kinsella Weitzman Iser Kump & Aldisert is representing Britney Brands.
