Callaway dubbed TaylorMade balls as ‘mud balls’ in a commercial, prompting TaylorMade to seek injunction and damages.
Five-time major winner Rory McIlroy and world number one Scottie Scheffler are among the most prominent golfers choosing TaylorMade balls. Callaway branded a TaylorMade ball as a ‘mud ball’ in a commercial, escalating into a lawsuit by the competitor. ‘Mud balls’ refer to golf balls covered in muddy soil or rough after a shot, which significantly affects aerodynamics and often causes unpredictable ball flights.
TaylorMade Files Lawsuit Against Callaway
TaylorMade has sued competitor Callaway over allegedly false claims about the composition of TaylorMade golf balls in a commercial. Callaway claimed TaylorMade balls are inferior to its own, alleging the design negatively impacts ball flight similarly to ‘mud balls.’ The lawsuit states Callaway and its agents conducted misleading UV light demonstrations, disparaging TaylorMade balls by calling them ‘mud balls’ and falsely claiming uneven paint/coating and poor quality control, resulting in poor performance. The suit was filed Thursday in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California, San Diego division.
Claim of Misleading UV Demonstration
The lawsuit focuses on a Callaway commercial where a salesperson advises a customer to test golf balls with UV light to evaluate coating and performance impact. The salesperson shines UV light on a TaylorMade TP5 ball, which shows a darker spot, and suggests it indicates a substandard ball, stating: ‘Wow. Interesting, because to me it looks like there’s a huge clump of mud right over the TaylorMade logo.’
TaylorMade argues ‘mud ball’ is one of the most disparaging terms for a golf ball. The company alleges Callaway continues this misinformation campaign with numerous other instances, though no specific examples besides the video are cited. TaylorMade is seeking a jury to halt the ongoing defamation and demands damages to be determined.
Comparative Advertising in the USA
In the United States, comparative advertising is widely permitted if claims are truthful, substantiated, and not misleading. Directly naming competitors or comparing specific features is a common marketing tactic to garner attention. Compared to regions like the EU, U.S. ads tend to be more aggressive and explicit, including competitor brand mentions. However, defamatory or false claims remain prohibited in the U.S.