Upgrad called out for using Sundar Pichai’s likeness in ad campaign

Indian edtech platform Upgrad is being called out for using Google CEO Sundar Pichai’s name and likeness in its latest ad campaign. Upgrad shared an image which shows a man with a striking resemblance to Sundar Pichai standing on a crowded railway platform. “I got a scholarship at Stanford but the travel cost too much so I didn’t go,” reads the quote on the image, which is attributed to one “Sundar P, 45, IT professional.” Notably, the CEO of Google holds a Master’s degree from Stanford University.

The accompanying caption leaves no doubt as to the personality being referred to in Upgrad's ad campaign. “Thankfully, the Sundar we know chose to #SkipExcuses and left his competition miles Pichai,” it read, before the “Pichai” was changed to “peeche [behind].”
A section of the internet called out the educational platform for using Sundar Pichai’s likeness without his consent.

Several Twitter users slammed the ad campaign as “cringe-worthy” while others wondered if it’s legal to use a public figure’s likeness for commercial benefit.

The image was initially shared on several social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram without a disclaimer. However, Upgrad later added a disclaimer: This post is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to real events, real-life individuals/personalities or entities is purely coincidental. Viewer discretion is advised.”