BBB National Programs Decision Summaries

A panel of the National Advertising Review Board (NARB) has recommended that AT&T Services, Inc. discontinue its “5G Evolution” and “5G Evolution, The First Step to 5G” claims. The advertising at issue had been challenged by T-Mobile USA, Inc. before the National Advertising Division (NAD). Following NAD’s decision, AT&T appealed NAD’s recommendation that these two claims be discontinued. 

The National Advertising Division (NAD) determined that Align Technology, Inc. (“Align”) substantiated certain product performance claims for Invisalign clear aligners as challenged by SmileDirectClub, LLC (“SDC”), maker of Smile Direct Club clear aligners, but recommended modification to the accompanying disclosures. In addition, NAD determined that Align’s description of its SmartForce attachments and the challenged social media posts were not misleading. However, NAD recommended that Align: 

The National Advertising Division (“NAD”) determined that, in the context of two challenged television commercials touting Verizon’s rollout of 5G service in sports venues, the claim that “Verizon is building the most powerful 5G experience for America” reasonably communicates a message about the consumer experience of using 5G mobile service that was not supported by the evidence in the record.

The BBB National Programs National Advertising Division (NAD) recommended that Factor Nutrition, LLC discontinue the claim that its Focus Factor brain health supplement is “America’s #1 Clinically Studied and Patented Brain Health Formula,” following a challenge by Quincy BioScience, Inc., maker of Prevagen brain health dietary supplement. 

The BBB National Programs National Advertising Division (“NAD”) recommended that Church & Dwight Co., Inc. discontinue the comparative claim that its Arm & Hammer Spinbrush toothbrush (“Spinbrush”) provides the “same great clean as the Oral-B Pro 1000,” as well as the accompanying value claim, “instead of paying $50, you get the same great clean for less than $10. So why pay more?” These claims, which appeared in website and television advertising, were challenged by The Procter & Gamble Company (“P&G”), maker of the Oral-B Pro 1000 electric toothbrush. 

The National Advertising Division (NAD) determined that GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare (GSKCH) provided a reasonable basis for its claim that Benefiber Healthy Balance “helps relieve occasional constipation and abdominal discomfort without causing diarrhea.” The claim, which appeared on product packaging for Benefiber Healthy Balance, was challenged by the Procter & Gamble Company (P&G), maker of competing dietary supplement and laxative product, Metamucil.

The National Advertising Division (“NAD”) recommended that Talyoni Professional, LLC and its affiliate, Ecoco, Inc. (collectively “Talyoni”) discontinue express claims that Talyoni and Ecoco Cannabis Sativa cosmetic and wellness products contain CBD, as well as product performance claims based on the presence of CBD in the products. The claims were challenged by Zotos International, Inc., maker of Joico and other hair care products. 

The National Advertising Division (“NAD”) determined that SmileDirectClub, LLC (“SDC”) substantiated certain express claims regarding the ability of its Smile Direct Club Clear Aligners to correct some bite issues, but recommended modification to others. NAD also recommended that SDC discontinue the challenged comparative claims, savings claims, speed claims, and consumer testimonials, as well as modify certain questions in SDC’s “Smile Assessment” quiz, and SDC’s “Confident Smile Guarantee” policy. The claims were challenged by Align Technology, Inc. (“Align”), maker of Invisalign clear aligners.

Today, the Digital Advertising Accountability Program (DAAP) released new actions detailing its efforts to provide consumers with control over how their data is used in personalized digital advertising. The privacy watchdog brought the app developer Mammoth Media into full compliance with the Digital Advertising Alliance’s self-regulatory principles (DAA Principles), which are best practices for privacy and interest-based advertising (IBA). Separately, the program alerted Recovery Centers of America, a company that operates addiction treatment facilities, to IBA on its website which the company immediately addressed.

The National Advertising Division (“NAD”) determined that Petco Animal Supplies, Inc. had submitted evidence sufficient to demonstrate that it is “setting a bold new standard for nutrition” and that it “will continue to evaluate and evolve [its] standards and assortment to take pet nutrition to new levels.” However, NAD recommended that Petco modify claims that it is removing “all” artificial ingredients or that there will be “no more artificials” in any dog food or treats. NAD also recommended that Petco modify certain hyperlinks to its “Better Nutrition” page, discontinue its characterization of artificial ingredients (i.e. as contained in other pet foods or carried by its competitors) as “nasties” or “bad stuff” and related imagery as to such pet foods in its video advertisement, and discontinue claims that as a result of its initiative to remove artificial ingredients from its store shelves, Petco provides “better nutrition.”