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- The South African Rugby Union has secured an interim order against Eskort to cease its 'Springbox' marketing campaign.
- It comes after the food company erected a billboard displaying "Go Springbox Love Eskort" with the Springboks' colours and the South African flag.
- The campaign was to launch a new cooler box for spring, named the 'Springbox', made for carrying Eskort braai meat.
The South African Rugby Union (SARU) has secured an interim court order against Eskort restraining it from continuing a marketing campaign using the Springbok brand.
SARU had approached the Gauteng High Court after Eskort erected a billboard on the bridge over the main road entering OR Tambo International Airport, wishing the Springboks well for their Rugby World Cup title defence in France.
The billboard read "Go Springbox Love Eskort", accompanied by the Boks' traditional green-and-gold colours and the South African flag.
Eskort last month announced the launch of its 'Springbox' campaign, to launch a new cooler box for the spring season, specially made for carrying Eskort braai meat.
News24 reported that SA Rugby said the advertisement and all other similar infringements were referred to SA Rugby's specialist intellectual property lawyers.
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The high court ordered the company to remove the offending "marks and get-up from all signage, marketing material, goods and/or products of any nature, including banners… posts and publications of the respondent's infringing marks on all and any websites, social media and other electronic platforms".
The matter is still to be argued at a later date.
Comment from Eskort will be added once received.
SARU has also succeeded in closing online retailers of counterfeit apparel, all of whom have been exploiting Rugby World Cup fever along with more established corporates.
SA Rugby CEO Rian Oberholzer said:
Oberholzer added that they cannot allow companies to flagrantly leverage their brand off the back of the Springboks brand "when our real supporters in corporate South Africa – who enable us to put the Springbok rugby team on the field – are paying for the rights to use our intellectual property (IP)," he added.
Rassie Erasmus, SA's director of rugby, made a plea on behalf of the team: "We really appreciate the backing and support the Springboks are receiving, and as a team, we feel it over here in France.
"But, guys, can we please respect our sponsors who have carried us financially and have walked a long way with the team to this point? If you have the means, it would be great if you came on board as sponsors and joined our loyal group of partners."
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SARU has warned that it will take legal action against companies that ambush its IP rights.
On Thursday, police officers executed a search warrant at a local business premises in Brackenfell, where they seized 67 branded and 50 unbranded Springbok jerseys, 513 cuffs and collars, and seven working stations.
They arrested and detained two woman, aged 25 and 47, on a charge of possession of counterfeit goods.
The Springboks continue their 2023 Rugby World Cup campaign against Romania in Bordeaux on Sunday.
