Abstract

The case “Copyright Infringement War between Britannia and ITC” talks about the legal tussle between leading Indian food companies, Britannia Industries Limited (BIL) and ITC Limited (ITC). In recent years, the two companies had accused each other of infringing their product packaging trademark to cause a loss of goodwill and confuse prospective buyers. The case provides in detail the various accusations of one party and the counters from the other party. It also briefly mentions the reasons for the two companies indulging in such a tussle. The case highlights the importance of trademark laws and the actions to be taken in case of infringement, apart from emphasizing the marketing ethics to be followed.

Learning Objectives

The case is structured to achieve the following Learning Objectives:

• Identify the need for establishing standards in marketing and promoting products and services.
• Understand the trademark infringement laws in India.
• Recognize the ethical issues involved in marketing, packaging, and promotion of products and services.
• Analyze the need for organizations to adhere to ethics in their marketing communications.

Keywords

Business Ethics; Marketing Communication; Copyright Management; Copyright Infringement; Trademarks; Packaging; Legal Terms In Copyrights; Passing Off; Brand Management; Legal Tussle; Goodwill; Packaging Design; Advertising appeals; Marketing Ethics; Copycat Packaging