BBB National Programs Blog

This week we celebrate the 50th anniversary of independent self-regulation in advertising. On May 18, 1971, the National Advertising Review Board (NARB) and its investigative arm, the National Advertising Division (NAD) were announced.

Direct selling – when done correctly – can benefit distributors and consumers. Unfortunately, it only takes a few bad actors to compromise the integrity of an entire industry. The direct selling industry faces difficult and important challenges in enhancing consumer and regulatory confidence in the marketing of its products and services. Successful and effective self-regulation has often been described as a marathon and not a sprint and, as such, requires ongoing commitment and participation from the industry.

It is a common misunderstanding that the National Advertising Division (NAD) creates or establishes standards for the U.S. advertising industry. Instead, substantiation standards are set by laws, guidance documents, or industry organizations. NAD looks to those different sources for guidance when reviewing advertising claims.

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected all aspects of our lives, from the ability to socialize to the ability to work. Keeping up with routine vehicle maintenance, for many who have been moving around less since the pandemic began, has become less routine. So, what happens when you discover an issue with your vehicle? To make sure your vehicle gets fixed, follow these guidelines and, if your vehicle cannot be fixed, we at BBB AUTO LINE have some guidelines for that, too.

Green marketing can be a strong marketing tool for companies to differentiate their sustainable approach to business and help consumers choose more sustainable products. But with the variety and volume of green marketing today, does it?

Today, businesses’ strategies and tactics to prove they are good corporate citizens go beyond the environment to include social and governance practices, otherwise known as ESG. Though consumers rely on businesses for information about their current corporate environmental efforts and their approaches to social and governance issues, ESG messaging is not something that consumers can easily confirm for themselves. A widespread commitment to accountability in ESG messaging to consumers would be an outstanding complement to the work that is already being done in communicating ESG policies to investors.

Advertisements may seem simple on the surface, but certain aspects of the ad business, including advertising law, are complex. The role of monitoring ads directed to children is especially complex. It seems straightforward: advertisers are not allowed to lie in their advertisements, but an advertiser is also responsible for all reasonable interpretations of the claims it makes and not just the messages it intended to convey. This blog outlines how to make sure your advertising passes the truthfulness test.

Privacy policies are complicated and can be frustrating to read, especially when you are trying to learn about your child's data privacy online. The Children’s Advertising Review Unit (CARU) reviews child-directed online environments to ensure that children’s data is collected and handled responsibly. As a parent, follow these steps to take a proactive role in your child’s data privacy, using privacy policies as your guide to better understand an online service’s data collection practices.

Advertising is a cutting-edge industry, so it is no surprise that the ad business has been at the forefront of a global trend building for almost 60 years – independent industry self-regulation. In the U.S., the National Advertising Division is the industry’s widely recognized “truth-in-advertising” body, an independent third party that enables competitors to resolve disputes outside the courtroom. It is the self-regulatory organization (SRO) of the U.S. In this Q&A with Mary Engle, Executive Vice President, Policy, here at BBB National Programs, we dig into what industry self-regulation looks like in other parts of the world.

Substantiating advertising claims is important, both to comply with the law and to avoid regulatory scrutiny or a potential challenge from a competitor in court or in a proceeding before the National Advertising Division (NAD).