A man discovered his 2021 photo was used in a Sketchers ad on TikTok without his permission, and the video about it has quickly gone viral.
Landing a role in a commercial is a great opportunity for actors and models, but many ads actually feature real, everyday people and their genuine reactions.
Artist Justin Starling was surprised to discover his image was being used in a Skechers advertisement. He explained that someone messaged him about seeing him in the ad, and then shared a picture of the poster.
Wait until you see the original photo. I never approved this edited version. The original was taken in 2021, and someone photoshopped out my Nike Air Force 1s and replaced them with Skechers. It’s ridiculous! Plus, they never paid me or even asked for permission to use my image in an ad.
TikToker finds himself in Sketchers ad he never signed up for
Several people who saw the photo asked Starling if he had given up the rights to it. It seems he did.
He explained in his video that he was surprised to learn the image came from a royalty-free website. When he originally saw the poster, he hadn’t realized the photo was available online at all.
I don’t want to criticize Skechers or anyone else; it looks like this might have been a simple mistake. It’s just surprising how quickly someone’s picture can appear online and be changed as part of a big company’s advertising without their knowledge.
Some people watching the TikTok video thought it was strange to use a stock photo and felt the creator was dwelling on the past.
One person encouraged getting compensated for the use of their image, saying, “You deserve to be paid for that.” Another commented that the image had clearly been intentionally changed, calling it “wild.”
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2025-11-24 19:20