A worldwide ad campaign featuring South African models and depicting the sweet life has left modelling agencies with a bitter taste ... to the tune of up to R13-million. The 2006 ad by Peroni was based on the classic 1960 Italian film La Dolce Vita and featured Cape Town model Landi Swanepoel in the role played by the legendary Anita Ekberg.A number of local modelling agencies were used to supply extras for the ad, including the flock of paparazzi photographers who surrounded Swanepoel as she emerged from a vintage aircraft.Since the campaign ended, Peroni has continued using images and video from it, without paying, which is why modelling agencies are now preparing a legal claim.As campaign figurehead, Swanepoel's image was broadcast around the world, but this week the supermodel was reluctant to speak to the Sunday Times about an estimated R6-million she is thought to be owed for the unauthorised use of her image."I have been made aware of these allegations but until I have more information I really cannot make any comment," she said in a Facebook message.The 36-year-old has lived in Milan, Paris and New York and starred on runways for the likes of Jean-Paul Gaultier and Chanel, also appearing in ad campaigns for Guess Jeans, Diet Coke and Dior.In 2008 Swanepoel told the Sunday Times: "I was blessed to be chosen for the beautiful Peroni campaign."Being in Rome and shooting the Trevi Fountain scene was monumental. We were the first people allowed to shoot there since the [filming of the] original La Dolce Vita in 1959."full_story_image_hleft1Swanepoel has kept a low profile lately, deactivating her Instagram account and not tweeting since 2014.The CEO of Cape Town's Base Model Agency, Neal Vincent, said he became aware of the unpaid usage in January 2014."There are quite a few agencies involved and they've continued using this campaign and images illegally around the world," he said."We've requested and requested and they just keep putting us off."Vincent said the ad was run without permission in Russia, Spain, Romania, Italy, Portugal and the Canary Islands in addition to the internet.He said Base had one model in the campaign and was owed up to R2-million, but other agencies were claiming R11-million.Repeated attempts to get their money from The Bank, the advertising agency in the UK responsible for the ad, were ignored.mini_story_image_hright2"We couldn't get any joy out of them, so I launched a 'boycott Peroni' campaign on social media, and they got their backs up in a hell of a flurry," Vincent said."They sent me lawyers' letters and I just ignored them."They managed to get an interdict against me. I was told to take it down and apologise, which I've never done. They then contacted us and said they would edit out the models - because these things get renewed annually, or if you take extra territories you have to pay for it."But the agency failed to edit out the models. "They renewed the campaign globally. They've settled the other agencies."Vincent said Base cannot issue a summons in South Africa, so it has to find a lawyer in the UK. "You're looking at British legal fees, so we're stalling on that for now."Lawyers for The Bank met the agencies this week in an attempt to negotiate a settlement.Attorney Christopher Gibbons, of Norman, Wink & Stephens, said: "The Bank and SABMiller are aware of the allegations and have been working with the parties to resolve the situation through legal correspondence."It appears that the majority of the claims are being led by a small group of Cape Town-based model agents. The claims are exaggerated and not based in fact or law and no legal proceedings have been filed by any agents in this regard."corneliusj@timesmedia.co.za..