BBB National Programs Decision Summaries

Bell Lifestyle Products has discontinued certain advertising claims for the company’s “Virux Viral Infections #42,” dietary supplement, action that NAD had determined was necessary. NAD further determined that the company provided adequate substantiation for certain immune-support claims.

The Online Interest-Based Advertising Accountability Program has determined that a communications failure among LifeLock, Inc., Initiative, and AOL Advertising, Inc., allowed some personalized LifeLock ads to be served to consumers without the Digital Advertising Alliance’s (DAA) Advertising Option Icon.

The National Advertising Division has determined that General Mills, Inc., can support certain claims made for its Yoplait “Greek” yogurt in online advertising and social media, but recommended the advertiser discontinue or modify certain claims.

The National Advertising Division has recommended Hyperion Management, LLC, which markets the dietary supplements “Garcinia Cambogia Formula” and “SaferColon,” discontinue all challenged claims for the cambogia product and better disclose limitations the guarantee offered with “SaferColon.”

The National Advertising Division has recommended that Nurture, Inc., the maker of Happy Family infant and toddler food products, modify or discontinue certain claims, including claims that state or imply that conventional or non-organic products are less nutritious, expose babies and toddlers to pesticides or contain genetically modified organisms (GMOs.) NAD did find, however, that the advertiser could continue its “organic superfoods,” “organic baby food,” and “always organic” claims.

The National Advertising Division has recommended that Taboola LCC, modify its native advertising “recommendation widget” to better assure that consumers understand that clicking on links provided by Taboola will take them to “sponsored content.”

The National Advertising Division has referred advertising claims made by MiMedx Group, Inc., for its EpiFix and EpiFix Micronized wound-care products to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for further review, after the advertiser declined to participate in NAD’s review of its advertising claims.

The Online Interest-Based Advertising Accountability Program (Accountability Program) today referred SunTrust Bank, Inc. (SunTrust) to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau after SunTrust refused to participate in the advertising industry’s self-regulatory process. The Accountability Program uses this cooperative inquiry process to help companies understand and comply with the cross-industry Self-Regulatory Principles for Online Behavioral Advertising (OBA Principles).

The National Advertising Division has recommended that Akeso, LLC, the maker of “MigreLief Original Formula” for adults and “Children’s Migrelief” dietary supplements, discontinue a wide range of claims for the products, which are marketed as providing relief from migraine headaches.

The National Advertising Division has recommended that Mars Petcare US discontinue certain express and implied claims made for the company’s Pedigree Dentastix dog chews. The claims at issue, made in print, Internet and social media advertising and on product packaging, were challenged by Nestle Purina Petcare Company, a competing maker of pet products.