CARU Recommends Moose Toys Modify Ad for ‘Beados’ to Better Disclose Products Included with Initial Purchase, Drying Time; Company Agrees to Do So

New York, NY –  March 8, 2013  – The Children’s Advertising Review Unit of the Council of Better Business Bureaus (CARU) has recommended that Moose Toys, maker of “Beados” crafting products, modify broadcast advertising for the products to better disclose what is available with an initial purchase and project drying time.

CARU is an investigative unit of the advertising industry’s system of self-regulation. It is administered by the Council of Better Business Bureaus.

A 30-second commercial for Beados Gem Designer Studio came to CARU’s attention through CARU’s routine monitoring of advertising directed to children.

Beados “gems” are made from an inert plastic materials that, when sprayed with water, become adhesive and fuse together.

The commercial featured four children wearing bracelets, necklaces and rings made with Beados gems and a display of more than 30 complete gem designs. The commercial closed with an island shot that showed two boxed sets. CARU noted that while an audio disclosure stated that each set is sold separately, neither the disclosure nor the visual depictions conveyed the message that several sets would be needed to re-create all of the jewelry and designs in the commercial.

Following its review, CARU determined that a child viewing the commercial could reasonably believe that enough gems came with the two sets depicted in the island shot to re-create all the finished products in the commercial. CARU recommended that a separate disclosure in audio or other formats likely to be seen and understood by children be included to inform children that multiple sets were used in the commercial.

Further, CARU recommended that the advertiser convey to children through an audio or visual representation that the product takes time to dry.

Moose Toys, in its advertiser’s statement, said the company accepted CARU’s decision “and has already taken CARU recommendation into consideration for future commercials.”