German personal care company Sebamed on Tuesday got some relief in its ad row with HUL.
Stating that its its claims are backed by robust scientific research, the company said it welcomed the decision rendered by the Bombay High Court that Sebamed is permitted to air its advertisement — titled “Doodh Jaise Safed Soap Ka Sach” — for its cleansing bar, in its current form. In the ad, Sebamed cleansing bar is compared with HUL’s Dove.
At the same time, the court said the company should modify its other two advertisements in which its compares its cleansing bar with brands Lux and Pears, by dropping the reference to Rin detergent or any other detergent soap or washing detergent.
“Any advertisement of the defendant comparing their Sebamed Cleansing Bar with the Lux soap of the plaintiff or the Pears soap of the plaintiff shall not have any reference to the Rin detergent bar or any other detergent soap or washing detergent,” the order stated.
Sebamed said that the judgement is an unequivocal acknowledgement of the company’s endeavours to “educate consumers about pH values of soaps and their effects on the skin.”
“The honourable Judge permitted the Sebamed advertisement qua Dove to continue as it is with no changes, and for Lux, Pears and Santoor to continue after removing the segment relating to detergent bar. The Honourable Judge agreed that a fact-based scientific comparison did not amount to disparagement and parties are free to mention names of competitor brands as long as there is evidence backed comparison,” the Sebamed statement added.