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The Bombay High Court has granted temporary relief to Hindustan Unilever (HUL) in its case against Abbott Laboratories, directing Abbott to halt advertisements that disparage HUL’s ‘Horlicks Diabetes Plus’. HUL filed the plea after coming across an ad in August 2024 that portrayed Abbott’s ‘Ensure Diabetes Care’ as a superior replacement for “Horlicks Diabetes Plus”, a message that was widely circulated in WhatsApp groups across India. Upon discovering the advertisement, the plaintiff immediately reached out to the Defendants through WhatsApp, requesting the withdrawal of the ad. Despite this communication, Abbott did not take any corrective action, prompting Horlicks to file a lawsuit. The plaintiff argued that the manner in which their product was dismissed in the advertisement amounted to unfair disparagement, designed to damage the reputation of Plaintiff’s product in the market. Upon reviewing the advertisement, the Court found that the clear substitution of ‘Horlicks Diabetes Plus’ with ‘Ensure Diabetes Care’ sent a negative message about the plaintiff’s product. The Court further noted that this was not coincidental, as Defendant could have easily used a generic product in the advertisement instead of directly referencing the plaintiff's brand. It reiterated the legal principle that while advertisers are free to praise their own products, they must not unfairly denigrate competitors' products. Ultimately, the Court concluded that the plaintiff had established a strong prima facie case of product disparagement. It granted ad-interim relief, temporarily restraining the Defendants from broadcasting or circulating the impugned advertisement. Defendant was also directed to recall, delete, and take down the advertisement from all platforms. The next hearing has been scheduled for 7th October, 2024. This ruling upholds fair advertising principles by affirming that while businesses are free to highlight their own products, they must not engage in unfairly belittling their competitors. This sets a high standard for ethical marketing practices, ensuring that competitive advertising remains robust yet respectful, and reinforcing the integrity of market competition. #legaljudgment #bombayhighcourt #HUL #Abbott #advertisements #advertisingprinciples #productdisparagement #intellectualpropertylaw

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