In Brief: P&G v. Colgate-Palmolive
This article was originally published in The Rose Sheet
Executive Summary
P&G v. Colgate-Palmolive: Procter & Gamble charges Colgate and its ad agency, Young & Rubicam, with copyright infringement and unfair competition in a lawsuit filed Dec. 4 in Manhattan federal court. P&G contends that Colgate's toothpaste advertising "deliberately copie[s] a distinctive and well-known [egg]shell demonstration" used in Crest toothpaste TV ads worldwide since 1989. According to P&G, Colgate began airing ads in China that "strikingly replicate" those for Crest in anticipation of P&G's launch of the toothpaste into the Chinese market. Colgate also has begun running similar ads in Australia, Uruguay and the Philippines, P&G said. P&G is requesting preliminary and permanent injunctions banning the advertisements and payment of "unspecified damages." P&G announced its plan to expand Crest distribution to 25% of the Chinese population in October ("The Rose Sheet" Oct. 28, p. 14)...
You may also be interested in...
OCA Applauds Organic Board's Recommendation To USDA: "Outlaw Nanotech"
With a push from the Organic Consumers Association, the National Organic Standards Board is recommending that the use of nanotechnology be strictly prohibited from products certified under the National Organic Program
Beauty Claims Inch Closer To Pharma As Cosmeceutical Sector Expands
Though global market-size estimates differ, analysts at SupplySide West 2010 in Las Vegas agreed that cosmeceuticals remain a promising growth vehicle
Marketing In Brief
ModiFace launches forecasting tool: Toronto-based virtual makeover firm introduces ShadeCast, a makeup sampling and forecasting tool based on behavioral tracking. ShadeCast is used in conjunction with iPhone application MakeUp, which allows consumers to virtually try on makeup in hundreds of shades from brands including Revlon, Cover Girl, Lancome and Clinique. ShadeCast offers 1,000 cosmetic shades from 40 brands and assigns a ShadeScore "to approximately position the [app's] hottest and most sampled color." ModiFace exec Nikkie Gatto likens the app to radio music playlists, helping consumers "looking to capture the current look, but also provide vital market intelligence to our retail channel partners," she says in Nov. 3 release. "The value of data to demonstrate the aggregate behavior will help the industry predict the latest trends and help cosmetic manufacturers better understand the color and products which most resonate with online and iPhone virtual makeover users," the company says