Emami Ltd. said the Delhi High Court allowed the company to continue airing its ‘Fair And Handsome' television commercial, rejecting Hindustan Unilever Ltd.'s challenge that it disparaged its product.
India's largest consumer goods maker had moved the court against the advertisement in which the brand endorser says “ab to ladkiyon ki cream chhoddo (dump the girl's cream)” to show that women's fairness creams are not designed for men's skin. HUL claimed that the advertisement showed a white-and-pink tube which looked like its Fair & Lovely brand.
Emami, citing the March 27 verdict, said the court questioned, “Can it be said that this advertisement on account of the said dialogue stated is false or misleading or unfair or deceptive? Does it amount to generic disparagement? The answer is in the negative.”
“We are not surprised by the consistent strategy adopted by HUL to target Fair And Handsome on frivolous grounds across forums,” Emami's spokesperson said in the statement.
HUL, in an emailed response, told BloombergQuint that the company was examining the order. It said that after an earlier Sept. 14 order of the Delhi High Court, Emami agreed to change the tube shown in the commercial as well as remove the word ‘Lovely'. But even in the modified ad, Emami was “denigrating women's fairness creams”.
(Updates an earlier version to incorporate HUL's response)
Essential Business Intelligence, Continuous LIVE TV, Sharp Market Insights, Practical Personal Finance Advice and Latest Stories — On NDTV Profit.
