Hannah Ann Sluss became a household name during Peter Weber’s season of The Bachelor but even those who don’t follow Bachelor Nation have surely seen her image more than once in the laundry section of the grocery store.
The Bachelor beauty can be spotted on certain bottles of Downy products but that could end shortly, forcing the company behind the famous fabric softener to either pay up big or change the recognizable image on the front of the bottles.
Hannah Ann is taking legal action against Proctor & Gamble because she claims her licensing deal with the household brand ended years ago. Despite the legal agreement, Hannah Ann’s likeness can still be seen on at least six Downy products, according to a report from TMZ.
Hannah Ann files legal docs, suing Proctor & Gamble
According to legal docs obtained by TMZ, Hannah Ann’s complaint is that she licensed a particular modeling photo to Proctor & Gamble for use on one product for a two-year span — from October 1, 2017, to October 1, 2019.
The problem is, that image is still in use, nearly two years after the deal expired and it’s found on more than one product now. In fact, Downy users are likely familiar with the sporty image seen on the popular laundry products.
In addition to Proctor & Gamble, Hannah Ann Sluss has also named CVS, Target, and Walmart in her suit.
Proctor & Gamble accused of keeping Hannah Ann Sluss image after The Bachelor fame
Part of Hannah Ann Sluss’s complaint stems from the fact that Proctor & Gamble kept her image on the front of several Downy products after her stint on Peter Weber’s season of The Bachelor, likely because she became much more famous after her reality TV debut.
She also takes issue with the fact that her image was associated with the “Life Gets Stinky” campaign, pointing out in the legal paperwork that the use of her image is “especially egregious because it associated [her] with the word ‘stinky.'”
For what it’s worth, Hannah Ann’s image is still found on Downy products advertised by Walmart, as seen in the image above that was pulled on September 19, 2021.
Hannah Ann has asked the courts to force Proctor & Gamble to stop using the image of her to sell their products. It’s not clear if she is seeking financial damages for the nearly two years that the company has been using it despite the expiration date on their deal.
The Bachelor fans best know Hannah Ann Sluss for her time on Peter Weber’s season. She managed to make it to the end and “win” the season and a proposal. However, that didn’t work out due to the fact that Peter wasn’t really over Madison Prewett, who self-eliminated.
Hannah Ann teased a possible return to the franchise via Bachelor in Paradise but with the season airing the final episodes, she still has not popped up.
The Bachelor is currently on hiatus and will return to ABC in early 2022.