Norwegian Air Shuttle photoshopped Erling Haaland’s trademark blonde ponytail onto the fuselage of one of its aircraft and posted the picture on Instagram during this summer’s World Cup. The caption read: “We’ve never looked more Norwegian.”
The image is gone from Norwegian’s Instagram, and so are other posts referencing Haaland that the airline ran on Instagram and TikTok during the tournament. The clean-up has not spared it a lawsuit.
‘Unlawful exploitation of his distinctive features’
By the end of September, Haaland and York Promotions had filed a writ against Norwegian Air Shuttle ASA in Oslo District Court. Lawyer Thomas Hagen of Schjødt confirmed the step to Verdens Gang.
“We can confirm that on behalf of York Promotions Ltd. and Erling Braut Haaland we have filed a writ against Norwegian Air Shuttle ASA,” Hagen said.
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The claim is built on Norway’s Marketing Act. Hagen told the newspaper the case concerns “Norwegian’s unlawful exploitation of Haaland’s distinctive features in its marketing of airline tickets during the World Cup.”
Norwegian confirmed to public broadcaster NRK that the writ had landed.
Airline cannot make sense of the writ
Press officer Eivind Hammer Myhre rejected the premise.
“It is true that we have received a lawsuit, and we cannot make sense of it,” Myhre said, according to TV2.
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The airline said the posts were a handful of spontaneous social media messages riding trends and supporting the national team through the summer tournament, and that it hoped for a sensible dialogue so it could keep cheering on shared sporting heroes in the future.
Norway’s first World Cup since 1998
The marketing push rode a wave of national interest. Norway reached a men’s World Cup for the first time since 1998 after Haaland scored 16 goals in European qualifying, and the team went deep in North America. Ståle Solbakken’s side finished Group I as runners-up and knocked out Côte d’Ivoire and Brazil before losing 2-1 to England after extra time in Miami on 11 July, with Haaland finishing the tournament on seven goals.
That run gave Haaland’s image unusual pull in the Norwegian market. York Promotions is the licensing vehicle that controls how it is used.
Planning meeting on October 9
The Oslo District Court planning meeting is listed as a general civil dispute and will be held by video between 10am and 11am local time on Friday, 9 October. The details of the claim have not been made public.
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