Sebamed loses appeal to run campaign challenging Unilever skin product pH values

“The court rulings reaffirm that the advertisement campaign by Sebamed denigrated HUL’s brands and misled consumers on the basis of pH, which is just one of the many parameters that go into manufacturing soap," said Dev Bajpai, executive director, legal and corporate affairs at HUL. "It is also pertinent to note that Sebamed’s campaign was irresponsible, and that such misleading communication was issued during the pandemic, when the Government and health authorities had advocated handwashing with any soap.”

 

In January 2021 the Bombay High court had originally ruled that USV-owned Sebamed was allowed to keep advertising, including drawing comparisons with other brands after Hindustan Unilever initiated a court challenge. But the court did rule that it could not make any reference to HUL’s Rin detergent bar.

 

At the time Sebamed India's marketing chief argued that fact-based ads would be the start of a new era in advertising.