After attacking HUL's brands, Sebamed now tweaks ads and offers free pH test kits

German personal care brand Sebamed has released a modified print advertisement of its soap, after earlier commercials directly attacked brands of Hindustan Unilever (HUL).

The tweaked print advertisement also offers free pH test kits to support the claim that Sebamed's soap has the perfect pH level (5.5) for sensitive skin.

Sebamed said that by contacting a number or going to the company's website, customers can ask for a free pH testing kit.

HUL has initiated legal action against Sebamed India in the Bombay High Court (HC).

The Bombay HC had on January 11 temporarily restrained Sebamed from releasing commercials in all mediums.

"HUL's brands are time-tested and have always delivered on the promise they have made to their consumers. He added that in the initial days of the COVID pandemic, HUL, as a responsible advertiser, had communicated to the masses that one could wash their hands with any soap as handwashing with soap is the first line of defence against Coronavirus," HUL Executive Director (Legal & Corporate Affairs) Dev Bajpai after the Bombay HC's interim order.

In the initial advertisement campaign, Sebamed had claimed HUL's popular products such as Dove, Rin, Pears Santoor, and Lux, have higher pH levels (meaning that they are more acidic) than Sebamed's soap.

Sebamed India had used this marketing strategy across print and video commercials. Advertisements that were visible on Sebamed India's Twitter handle and YouTube channel have now been taken down.