CARU Finds Kellogg Can Adequately Support Certain Claims Made For ‘Frosted Flakes Gold’

New York, NY – August 26, 2008 – The Children’s Advertising Review Unit (CARU) of the Council of Better Business Bureaus, Inc., has determined that Kellogg Company provided a reasonable basis for express and implied “long-lasting energy” claims made for the company’s “Frosted Flakes Gold” cereal product.

Broadcast advertising and packaging for Kellogg’s “Frosted Flakes Gold” came to the attention of CARU through its routine monitoring of advertising directed to children.

The commercial depicts children and teenagers engaged in various athletic activities, while an audio voiceover states:

• “When the game is on the line, will you have the power of Gold?
• New Kellogg’s Frosted Flakes Gold.  For long-lasting energy when you need it most.
• Crunchy flakes with whole grain and sweet golden honey.  It’s the long-lasting energy part of a nutritious breakfast.
• The power of gold.  New Frosted Flakes Gold.  For energy when you need it most.”

The product packaging has an image of Tony the Tiger giving a thumbs-up along with the phrases, “long-lasting energy” and “Crunchy flakes, with whole grain and sweet golden honey, it is a long-lasting energy part of a good breakfast.”

At the outset, Kellogg explained that Frosted Flakes Gold cereal is a new formulation of another Kellogg’s ready-to-eat cereal product designed for the express purpose of increasing the complexity of the carbohydrate matrix to slow digestion and release energy over a longer period of time.  According to the company, the new formulation contains 17 grams of complex carbohydrates, of which 10 grams are in the form of whole grain corn and whole grain wheat. 

CARU examined evidence that included a number of scientific and nutritional texts and peer-reviewed articles. Following its review, CARU determined that Kellogg provided a reasonable basis for its express and implied “long-lasting energy” claims as expressed on its product packaging and in its television commercial.

The company, in its advertiser’s statement, said it is “pleased with CARU’s confirmation that the claims for Kellogg’s Frosted Flakes Gold cereal are substantiated.”