Delhi HC declines RCB's plea to take down Uber's 'Hyderabaddie' ad featuring Travis Head
Uber's cheeky IPL campaign with Travis Head stays live, as court finds no urgency to take it down despite RCB’s allegations of trademark disparagement.
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The Delhi High Court on Monday declined to grant interim relief to Indian Premier League franchise Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in their plea seeking removal of an Uber India advertisement allegedly mocking the team.
The advertisement in question features Australian and Sunrisers Hyderabad cricketer Travis Head branding himself a "Hyderabaddie" while performing Uber Moto, the bike taxi arm of the ride-hailing giant.
In this video, Head is shown spray-painting the phrase "Royally Challenged Bengaluru" on a stadium signboard, ahead of a fictional match—an apparent dig at RCB.
Justice Saurabh Banerjee, who had previously made a prima facie remark suggesting that “some changes” might be warranted in the ad, ultimately ruled that Court intervention at this juncture was unnecessary, the report added.
RCB contended that the ad went beyond parody and constituted commercial disparagement.
On the other hand, Uber defended the campaign as “humorous” and contextually appropriate. “The plaintiff has severely and massively discounted the sense of humour of the viewing public,” it said, clarifying that there was no exclusive endorsement deal between Uber and Sunrisers Hyderabad. The “Royally Challenged” tagline was a cheeky reference to the May 13 match in Bengaluru, rather than targeted ridicule, the report said.
Following nearly two hours of arguments, the Court had earlier reserved its decision on the injunction plea before delivering Monday’s order.
