Blow Plast Pulls Back Ads Featuring Odyssey Glx

Blow Plast Ltd, flagship of the Dilip Piramal group, has withdrawn all advertisements featuring VIP Odyssey GLX range of luggage with effect from yesterday.

The move follows a Delhi High Court injunction obtained by the Samsonite Corporation of the US last week restraining the Dilip Piramal group from selling, marketing or distributing the Odyssey GLX range.

Samsonite said in its plea before the high court that VIP's GLX range closely resembles the US majors System IV Deluxe range of luggage to be launched in the country soon through its subsidiary Samsonite India. VIP launched the premium GLX model, the latest edition in the Odyssey family, earlier this month.

Blow Plast, in a communique to the group's lead agency Hindustan Thompson Associates (HTA), has directed it "to withdraw all advertisements from both press and TV which feature the VIP Odyssey GLX product."

The Dilip Piramal group's introduction of GLX range was pre-emptive move keeping an eye on Samsonite plans to launch its range of products in the country. The US-based major, it is believed, has provided the court with evidences to show the similarities in feature, size and texture between the GLX model and the System IV Deluxe.

"Since we have been barred from selling the product, there was no point in our carrying on the advertisement campaign," Dilip Piramal said. Piramal, however, refused to comment on course of action to be taken by the country's largest moulded luggage manufacturer.

"As the matter is sub-judice, I will prefer to hold back my comments. Whatever we have to say we will do so in the court of law," he said. The company is at present consulting with its legal experts to work a way around the ban, said a source.

The Delhi High Court has recently barred Blow Plast, VIP Industries and a Delhi-based dealer from marketing, selling and distribution of the VIP Odyssey GLX range of products.