Delhi HC bars use of promotional content allegedly copying Manforce ads

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court has granted an ex-parte ad-interim injunction to Mankind Consumer Products in a copyright infringement dispute concerning the creative assets of its Manforce condom brand, restraining rival entities from using social media content alleged to replicate its artwork and promotional taglines, according to a report by LiveLaw.

In an order dated February 25, 2026, Justice Tushar Rao Gedela observed that a comparison of the social media posts indicated, at a prima facie level, that the defendant’s content closely resembled the plaintiff’s original artistic works and taglines.

The suit was filed by Mankind Consumer Products against Anondita Medicare and other entities associated with several Instagram accounts that allegedly published posts imitating the Manforce brand’s creative assets to promote similar products, namely barrier contraceptives, on the platform Instagram.

According to the pleadings cited in the court order, the company claimed that at least eight social media posts from accounts such as cobra_premium_0, cobra_premium_1 and cobra_premiumm reproduced elements of its advertising creatives. The plaintiff argued that the content represented a deliberate attempt to capitalise on the brand’s established goodwill and digital presence.

The order records that the Manforce trademark was coined in the early 2000s and later extended to condoms in the mid-2000s. The court also noted that the brand’s condom sales reached approximately Rs 311.26 crore during the 2023–24 financial year.

Mankind further stated that the brand has been promoted extensively through digital campaigns featuring celebrities including Sunny Leone and Radhika Apte across social media platforms.

While examining visual comparisons placed on record, the court noted that several design elements appeared to be closely replicated. These included a similar colour palette, the placement of identical promotional phrases, and a visual of a half-open strawberry shaped like a heart positioned at the same location within the design.

The court held that the material placed before it indicated a strong prima facie case of copyright infringement and that continued circulation of the contested material could cause irreparable harm to the plaintiff that may not be adequately compensated through monetary damages.

Consequently, Anondita Medicare and the other defendants, along with their distributors, dealers, agents and associated parties, have been restrained from reproducing or publishing the disputed works or any similar content.

The court also directed the defendants to temporarily remove the contested material from identified URLs and from digital platforms, including YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, X, as well as e-commerce platforms Amazon and Flipkart.

The matter is scheduled to be taken up before the Joint Registrar (Judicial) on April 15, 2026, for completion of service and pleadings, and will subsequently be listed before the court on July 14, 2026.