NAD Finds P&G Took Necessary Action in Discontinuing Claims Challenged by Libman

New York, NY – Jan. 16, 2013 –The Procter and Gamble Company said it has permanently discontinued advertising claims and product demonstrations that were challenged before the National Advertising Division by The Libman Company, a competing manufacturer of household cleaning products.

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

NAD had requested substantiation from P&G for express advertising claims that included:

•  “Cleans better in half the time.*” (*”than a mop and bucket”)
•  “Swiffer WetJet Starter Kit. CLEANS BETTER THAN A MOP!”
•  “Swiffer WetJet. Cleans better than a mop and bucket.”
•  “Swiffer Sweeper. Cleans better than both a broom and mop.”
•  Side-by-side demonstrations of a Swiffer WetJet and a mop.

NAD also requested the advertiser’s support for the implied claim that Swiffer cleans better than mops and brooms in all cleaning situations.

In response to NAD’s inquiry, the advertiser asserted that while it believes its claims are fully supported by its testing, the challenged advertising has run its course and all of the challenged claims and product demonstrations have been or are in the process of being permanently discontinued.

NAD, in its decision, said it appreciated the advertiser’s agreement to permanently discontinue the challenged claims and product demonstrations, an action NAD deemed necessary and proper under the circumstances. “Given the strong competitive nature of some of the claims and visuals, NAD recommended the advertiser take immediate steps to do so,” the decision states.

P&G, in its advertiser’s statement, said it “strongly supports the self-regulatory process and will take into account NAD’s recommendation.”