Vidal Sassoon Gets OK to Sue P&G

A federal judge in Los Angeles said that Vidal Sassoon’s multi-million-dollar damages lawsuit against Procter & Gamble Co. may proceed to trial.

Specifically, U.S. District Judge Margaret M. Morrow denied P&G’s motion to dismiss the entire complaint, Sassoon announced on Oct. 21. The complaint alleges that the consumer products giant “starve(d)” Mr. Sas-soon’s product line of essential promotional efforts and marketing money in favor of P&G’s Pantene.

Celebrity hair stylist Sassoon filed a lawsuit in April, claiming that the company breached an exclusive license that he granted in 1985 allowing P&G to be the sole worldwide distributor of products bearing his name.

Sales of Sassoon brand products in the U.S. and Europe have dropped to $42 million in 2002 from a high of $220 million in 1994, Mr. Sassoon said. P&G is discontinuing the line in North America and Europe.

A P&G spokeswoman said the company is confident Mr. Sassoon’s allegations will be found to be without any basis. She said P&G is committed to the brand and continues to invest in it. According to Mr. Sassoon, his brand had $201 million in sales in Asia last year and is on a record sales pace in 2003, making it P&G’s top brand in Asia. Mr. Sassoon is seeking “hundreds of millions of dollars” in damages as well as the rescission of his license agreement with P&G. A trial is scheduled for Sept. 21, 2004.