_{By Mike Romero}

When it comes to Utah’s relationship with the music industry, a new chapter has begun. Last month, Warner Music Group (WMG) filed a lawsuit against the Utah-based Crumbl Cookies, alleging the company has illegally used dozens of popular songs in their digital marketing without proper licensing.

In a federal lawsuit filed April 22, WMG accused Crumbl of copyright infringement of at least 66 tracks across Crumbl’s social media. TikToks, Instagram Reels, and other promotional videos were created using the copyrighted works without a commercial license. “Companies can’t use our music to sell their products unless they have a license,” Warner Music’s filing states. “Crumbl has continued to use our artists’ work despite not having one,” it continues, alluding to a cease-and-desist letter sent in August 2023 informing Crumbl of the issue.

Warner Music Group — which includes subsidiaries Atlantic Records, Elektra Records, and Warner Chappell Music — is seeking up to $150,000 in damages per song, which includes works from popular artists such as Dua Lipa, Bruno Mars, Taylor Swift, Mariah Carey, and Beyoncé.

Crumbl was founded in Logan, Utah, and has become known for its aggressive social media strategies, rotating flavors, and bright pink branding. The company has seen explosive growth all around the US and Canada, even recently announcing plans to expand to Australia. However, this strategy is now the source of scrutiny.

The lawsuit points out Crumbl’s past with similar legal disputes, referencing the cookie company’s 2022 lawsuits against Crave Cookies and Dirty Dough, who were accused of trademark infringement. The complaint states, “Crumbl is not unfamiliar with intellectual property laws and enforces its own intellectual property rights by filing lawsuits against companies that allegedly infringe Crumbl’s intellectual property.” The filing also points out that Crumbl have acknowledged on social media their legal inability to use trending audio clips for legal reasons yet have continued to do so anyway.

In a response to ABC4.com, Crumbl stated, “Crumbl is aware of the legal action initiated by Warner Music Group and is actively reviewing the matter. Crumbl respects the rights of artists and creators and will respond appropriately through the legal process.”

With potential damages totaling in the millions, the outcome of this case could have serious impacts, not only for Crumbl, but for social media-based marketing strategies across multiple industries.

You can read the full lawsuit here. We’ll keep you updated as the story unfolds. Until then, check out another one of our favorite cookie-related Utah projects: Cookies & Jam!