Philips takes Bombay Shaving Company to court over misleading Instagram reel
Philips has sued Bombay Shaving Company in the Delhi High Court, alleging a reel from its OmniBlade campaign misled consumers by unfairly comparing it to Philips’ OneBlade. BSC pulled down the content; the case highlights intensifying grooming market ad wars.
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Dutch electronics giant Philips has dragged Indian startup Bombay Shaving Company (BSC) to the Delhi High Court, alleging that the homegrown brand’s promotional content disparaged its flagship OneBlade trimmer, Bar and Bench reported.
The dispute arose from BSC’s OmniBlade campaign, promoted as part of its “Razorpreneur Challenge.” A contested Instagram reel claimed OmniBlade was a “cut-free,” multifunctional trimmer available at “half the price” of Philips’ OneBlade. Philips argued the comparison was “false and untrue,” misleading consumers about both products.
Appearing for Philips, Senior Advocate Akhil Sibal contended that OneBlade already provides anti-nick protection and dual-use for face and body, making BSC’s “half-price” pitch unfair. He said the reel was crafted to undermine Philips’ patented technology and divert buyers.
BSC, represented by Advocate Shwetasree Majumdar, countered that the reel was user-generated content produced as part of a contest, not an official advertisement. She maintained it fell within the scope of comparative marketing.
Justice Manmeet Pritam Singh Arora, however, signalled she was inclined to grant an interim order. To avoid this, BSC agreed to take down the reel across all platforms within 36 hours.
The court has issued a summons in Philips’ suit, with BSC given 30 days to file its response.
