India: Advertising, Marketing & Branding

In a decision reinforcing the importance of brand reputation and trademark protection in India, the Delhi High Court has declared GlaxoSmithKline Pharmaceuticals Limited’s (“GSK”) trademark “CALPOL” as a “Well-Known Trademark” under Section 2(1)(zg) of the Trade Marks Act, 1999. The ruling came in the backdrop of a trademark dispute involving the marks “CALPOL” and “WALPOL”, wherein the Court recognized the extensive goodwill, reputation, and long-standing commercial presence associated with the CALPOL brand in India.

The Delhi High Court's landmark ruling in the Hindware case examines whether Google's practice of allowing competitors to bid on trademarked keywords constitutes infringement, even when the trademark itself remains invisible to consumers. This analysis explores how the Court navigated the intersection of traditional trademark law and algorithmic advertising systems, questioning whether platforms can monetize brand searches by selling that commercial moment to rivals. The judgment fundamentally challenges th

The High Court of Delhi, through its judgment dated 19.06.2026 in M/s EG Communications Pvt. Ltd. & Ors. v. Election Commission of India & Ors. , dismissed a challenge to the directions prohibiting political advertisements at Delhi Metro stations during the operation of the Model Code of Conduct (“MCC”) on the ground that it is not violative of Articles 14 and 19 of the Constitution of India, 1949 (“Constitution”).

The Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) has released draft guidelines requiring brands to disclose the use of Artificial Intelligence in advertising.

“India’s ‘Mounjaro brides’: weight-loss injections become part of pre-wedding preparation” is the title of an April 2026 article carried by Reuters. Doctors in India describe a rise in pre-wedding enquiries from brides, and some grooms, seeking GLP-1 drugs such as Mounjaro as a shortcut to a slimmer body before the ceremony, often against a backdrop of intense pressure around appearance.

Zee Entertainment has filed a lawsuit against Nykaa for using copyrighted songs in Instagram reels without proper commercial licensing, seeking $200,000 in damages. The case highlights a critical gap in how brands use social media music libraries: while Instagram permits personal use of licensed music, commercial content requires separate synchronisation licenses that most brands fail to obtain.

The rapid expansion of India's skincare and personal care sector has brought renewed attention to a category of products commonly referred to as "cosmeceuticals" being formulations that straddle the conceptual boundary between cosmetics and pharmaceuticals.

Few sectors process personal data as continuously, invisibly and unavoidably as telecom operators and OTT platforms making them among the most susceptible to data privacy risks.

Modern travel is inseparable from data. From the moment a passenger searches for a flight or hotel to the point of check-out or arrival, personal data is continuously collected, analysed, shared and retained across a complex ecosystem of airlines, airports, hotels, travel intermediaries, technology platforms and government authorities.