Erling Haaland has made more noise this season for his new hairstyle than for his goals, which are certainly nothing new for a striker of his class. Jokes aside, his now-disappeared ponytail has cost an airline company dearly for using it in a curious and charming promotional campaign. The matter has ended up at the center of a legal dispute that will go to court in the coming days, precisely at the behest of the Manchester City striker.
Haaland is no joke, and not just on the pitch. According to information confirmed by Norwegian media, the law firm representing the striker has filed an official lawsuit in the Oslo District Court, also on behalf of the British company York Promotions Ltd. The lawsuit claims that the airline Norwegian Air Shuttle ASA has illegally exploited the commercial characteristics associated with the Nordic bomber. It is a reference to his registered trademarks to promote the sale of airline tickets during the world tour.
While Norway was performing well at the World Cup, Norwegian Air Shuttle was taking advantage of the wave through its social media channels, using the hair of its most representative player. The photo prepared for the promotional campaign, with Haaland's blond ponytail placed on the front of one of the planes, was very attractive. Everything was accompanied by the caption: "We have never looked so Norwegian". Deleting the image was not enough, while the airline justified itself by describing it as a humorous idea. Haaland and his lawyers do not discriminate and want to move forward.
The press officer of the Norwegian airline stated: “It is true that we have received a lawsuit that we do not understand. It is unfortunate that our support has been met with legal action, but we hope for a reasonable dialogue, so that we are also allowed to support our sporting heroes in the future.” For VG Sports, Professor Tore Lunde, an expert in marketing law at the University of Bergen, expressed confidence that Haaland’s move could succeed: legal experts refer to positive Supreme Court precedents that protect the image of athletes from unauthorized commercial use by companies.
Despite the fact that it is a national company and there is no harm to Haaland's image, the latter has decided not to make concessions. This is because the aim is to prevent situations of a certain type from occurring in the first place, which in the long run could increase exponentially given Erling's status as a global football star. Of course, the question arises: was it really necessary, given that we are talking about Erling's compatriots and everyone is driving in the same direction?
