German personal care brand Sebamed has launched new print ads, in which they offer users a free pH testing kit when they purchase the company’s soap from their website.

Sebamed was in news for its earlier ads that alleged high acidic content in Hindustan Unilever Ltd (HUL) brand soaps, Dove, Lux and Pears.

Dishoom dishoom today in TOI. #sebamed #dove pic.twitter.com/BnyAZdi1Pa

— ᕕ (@arifkhan7) January 10, 2021

For directly naming its brands, HUL initiated legal action against Sebamed India in the Bombay High Court (HC) on January 11. Following a restraining order by HC, Sebamed modified its print ads, where it no more names the HUL brands. In its campaign, Sebamed had also named Wipro’s Santoor soap.

The new ads just say that high pH levels in soaps can lead to dehydration, irritability and acne. pH is a measure of acidic content in a product— lower its value, better it is for the skin.

Sebamed first released its ad on January, where it named the HUL brands. On January 10, HUL released ads saying that dermatologists trusted its soap Dove.

⁦@HUL_News⁩ ignores, for now the attack on Lux but fires back from the shoulder of ⁦@Dove⁩! And uses Dermatologist endorsement. Game has truly begun. Don’t be surprised if HUL goes legal on ‘Defamation’ : how dare you compare a beauty soap with a detergent bar! 1/2 pic.twitter.com/J2WvxPonlm

— Ambi Parameswaran (@ambimgp) January 10, 2021

The print ads aside, Sebamed had released a few ads for other mediums such as television, digital, outdoor and radio, with the tagline ‘filmstars kee nahi, science kee suno’.

For sensitive skin, a pH value of 5.5 (or mild acidic) is perfect. Sebamed is offering the free pH test kits to validate the claim that its soap maintains a pH level of 5.5.

Even on its Twitter handle, Sebamed has been aggressively marketing the pH value of 5.as being the friendliest for skin.

This is what happens when your skin's natural pH balance is disturbed. Hence, #SebamedScienceKiSuno for healthy and glowing skin.

To shop Sebamed products, use coupon code SEB10FB and click: https://t.co/POSSMiTyTl#Sebamed #SebamedIndia #SebamedScienceKiSuno #Perfectph5point5 pic.twitter.com/5D2loppCWX— SebamedIndia (@IndiaSebamed) January 11, 2021

After HUL initiated legal action against Sebamed India, on January 11, the Bombay HC had temporarily restrained the German brand from releasing ads across all mediums. The HC is expected to pass an order on this on January 19.

On social media, a user claimed that this tactic of naming rivals and advertising wasn’t new. The user pointed out that Dove US had done the same things when it named Dial and Ivory using similar litmus tests.

On Sebamed kickstarting a marketing war among soaps in India, I showcase how it is straight out of Dove's playbook, right up to the use of Rin, a washing soap! + Is this kind of comparative advertising legal? And what exactly is Sebamed's strategy? https://t.co/wJFKEBIIC5 pic.twitter.com/2Cs9N7MffP

— Karthik (@beastoftraal) January 11, 2021

(Edited by : Jomy)