TikTok silence from Sylvanian Drama: Unveiling thelegal factors
In a surprising turn of events, the legal dispute between Thea Von Engelbrechten, the creator of the popular TikTok account Sylvanian Drama, and Epoch Company, the owners of the Sylvanian Families toy brand, has been resolved through a settlement. The legal battle, which began in April 2025, was centred around Von Engelbrechten's use of Sylvanian Families toys in her adult-themed, satirical skits.
Von Engelbrechten's account, which boasts 2.5 million followers and 67.4 million likes on TikTok, features Sylvanian Families figurines in chaotic, telenovela-style videos filled with drama, existential crises, and woodland scandal. These plotlines, inspired by "cringey TV shows and early 2000s comedy," as well as her cats, according to an interview with Fohr, mark a stark contrast to the usually wholesome stories associated with Sylvanian Families.
Epoch Company alleged that Von Engelbrechten's use of their toys damaged their family-friendly reputation and constituted copyright and trademark infringement. However, Von Engelbrechten defended her actions, emphasising the transformative use and first sale doctrine, arguing that she lawfully purchased the toys and her videos were a parody protected by fair use.
The legal system's role in protecting the 'vibe' of a creator is a topic of discussion, with some wondering if more cases like these will arise in the future. This dispute comes amidst other legal battles involving creators, such as the cases involving Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni, Beyoncé and Jay-Z, and deepfake porn.
Notably, Epoch originally sought a permanent injunction, statutory damages, and an end to the use of Sylvanian Families in Von Engelbrechten’s content. However, they ultimately agreed to settle the matter out of court. The case, which was filed in the Southern District of New York, had an initial pretrial conference scheduled for August 14, 2025, but the parties settled before that date.
Since the legal conflict, Von Engelbrechten has not posted new non-sponsored content on TikTok or Instagram, reflecting the impact of the dispute on her creative output. This settlement marks a significant milestone for Von Engelbrechten, allowing her to continue creating her unique and popular content without the looming threat of legal action.
The article was written by Abby Amoakuh, Fatou Ferraro Mboup, and Shannon Flynn.
In a separate incident, Sony Music Entertainment filed a lawsuit against cosmetics brand OFRA in November 2023 for using Sony-owned music in Instagram and TikTok ads without permission. This further highlights the increasing importance of intellectual property rights in the digital age. As creators and brands continue to push the boundaries of content creation, it seems that legal disputes may become more commonplace.
Von Engelbrechten's TikTok account, known for its blend of social-media entertainment and pop-culture parodies, was the center of a legal dispute over copyright and trademark infringement involving the Sylvanian Families toy brand. Despite the lawsuit, the settlement reached allowed her to continue creating her unique content, demonstrating the potential for intellectual property disputes in the digital age, as seen in the case between Sony Music Entertainment and cosmetics brand OFRA.
