Hair Suit: Erling Haaland and the Limits of Real-Time Marketing

Despite Norway’s quarter-final loss to England in last summer’s World Cup, striker Erling Haaland still landed in the winner’s circle when it came to player popularity. This was largely due to his charm, social media presence, and of course, his blond ponytail.

The hairstyle has become the subject of a high-profile infringement dispute involving the Manchester City player and Norwegian Air Shuttle. The case will be heard in Oslo in March and will test the boundaries of commercial creativity and fast-moving social media campaigns during a time when a celebrity’s most recognizable features can become powerful marking tools.

Erling is suing the airline after his blond ponytail was digitally superimposed onto a Boeing 737 Max aircraft, accompanied by the slogan: “We’ve never looked more Norwegian.”

Finnegan partner Mark Sommers told World Intellectual Property Review that in cases concerning personality rights, context and timing are crucial.

“If that ponytail had been hoisted over an airplane ten years from now, the significance would be much different than during the World Cup, when everybody associates that particular ponytail with that particular athlete,” Mark said.

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