National Advertising Division
Program Impact
Truth & Transparency
Voluntary self-regulation helps create an honest and fair marketplace. Companies benefit from a level playing field and consumers benefit from a more trustworthy marketplace. A 90% participation rate demonstrates the depth of industry’s commitment to self-regulation and truth and transparency.Issues We Examine
NAD’s legal team specializes in examining advertising claims for a diverse set of goods and services like telecommunications, infant nutrition, over-the-counter medication, and dietary supplements for a wide variety of issues from product efficacy to influencer marketing and the use of consumer reviews.Time & Cost
The NAD process resolves advertising disputes efficiently and almost always faster than a court proceeding. There is no document discovery or depositions, no counterclaims, and the process requires less investment in time and cost than litigating a case.Navigating Uncertainty
NAD has a published body of case precedent and is staffed by decision makers dedicated to resolving advertising disputes, using a process that provides advertisers the right to appeal adverse decisions to the National Advertising Review Board (NARB).NAD Challenges
NAD offers three options for submitting challenges for review: Standard Track, Complex Track, and Fast-Track SWIFT. Click on the options below for more information on each track's process, challenge eligibility requirements, timeline, and fees to determine which track is best suited to handle your needs. BBB National Programs National Partners receive a discount on filing fees.
Fast-Track SWIFT
Single-issue digital advertising cases with decisions in 20 business days. Learn MoreComplex Track
Cases requiring complex substantiation. Time to decision is determined by the parties. Learn More
Why Use NAD for Advertising Challenges
When a competitor’s advertising harms consumer trust or threatens a company’s reputation and market share, decision makers need to answer three key questions:
- Which forum will resolve my challenge most efficiently—federal court, Federal Trade Commission complaint, or NAD challenge?
The NAD process promotes truthful advertising resolving advertising disputes efficiently. Unless advertising is so misleading and causing sufficient harm that a temporary restraining order application will likely succeed, the NAD process is typically faster than a court proceeding.
- How much will it cost?
Filing a challenge with NAD is almost always more cost effective than other options. There is no document discovery. There is no deposition. The matter cannot be delayed by filing counterclaims. Our streamlined process saves time and money.
- What are the risks?
Because NAD has a published body of case precedent and is staffed by decision makers dedicated to resolving advertising disputes, the outcome is more predictable than a court proceeding where individual judges have crowded dockets of a wide array of cases and different decision-making styles. Our procedures provide advertisers with an automatic right to appeal adverse decisions to the self-regulatory system’s peer review body, the National Advertising Review Board.
NAD’s Monitoring Program
As part of its public interest mission to ensure consumers receive truthful and accurate advertising messages, NAD initiates approximately 20-25% of its cases each year based on its own monitoring of advertising in a wide variety of product categories. The goal of NAD’s monitoring cases is to expand the universe of advertising claims that are reviewed for truth and transparency and provide guidance for future advertising. In determining whether to open a monitoring case, NAD considers whether the advertising meets one or more of the following criteria:
- Targets a vulnerable population (elderly, children, special needs, etc.);
- Capitalizes on consumer fears or misunderstanding;
- Fills a gap in regulatory efforts of the FTC and state AGs;
- Addresses novel or emerging issue of interest for the advertising industry;
- Concerns claims that consumers cannot evaluate for themselves;
- Achieves diversity among industries that historically participate in self-regulation.
Policies & Procedures
Any company, consumer, or non-governmental organization can file a challenge with NAD. We handle about 150 cases each year and our decisions represent the single largest body of advertising decisions in the United States. The NAD | NARB Policies and Procedures describe the details and parameters of NAD's challenge review process.
News & Blog
BBB National Programs Partners with Facebook to Strengthen Truth-in-Advertising Enforcement on the Social Network's U.S. Platform
New York, NY – December 2, 2020 – Taking an important step to advance the effectiveness of its quick and efficient self-regulatory programs, BBB National Programs today announced a new National Advertising Division (NAD) partnership with Facebook.
Arcadia Consumer Healthcare Violates National Advertising Division Procedures
Q&A: What is an SRO? A Beginner’s Guide to International Advertising Self-Regulation
Substantiating Advertising Claims in Three Steps: A How-To Checklist for Advertisers
Decisions
NAD Finds Certain Zarbee’s Claims Clearly Identify Honey as The Source of the Cough Soothing Benefit in its Cough Products; Recommends Modification of Others
New York, NY – April 15, 2021 – The National Advertising Division (NAD) determined that certain advertising claims made by Zarbee’s, Inc. for its cough products sufficiently identify that honey is the source of the cough soothing benefit and would not reasonably mislead consumers...
NuWave Voluntarily Modifies Certain OxyPure Air Purifier Claims Following National Advertising Division Inquiry into Implied COVID-19 Messages
New York, NY – April 13, 2021 – Following an inquiry by the National Advertising Division (NAD) of BBB National Programs, NuWave LLC modified claims on its website and in a YouTube video which conveyed implied messages that its OxyPure Air Purifier is effective against COVID-19. The...
NAD Recommends J.G. Wentworth Company Modify its “Cash Now” Claims to Clearly and Conspicuously Disclose Material Information about Timing of Payment
New York, NY – April 8, 2021 – The National Advertising Division (NAD) recommends that the J.G. Wentworth Company modify its advertising to disclose that its offer of “cash now,” in exchange for purchase of the customer’s structured settlement or annuity payment rights, is not immediate,...
First Day Life Permanently Discontinues Certain Advertising Claims for Daily Enrichment Multivitamin Following National Advertising Division Challenge
New York, NY – April 8, 2021 – First Day Life, Inc. informed the National Advertising Division (NAD) of BBB National Programs that it has permanently discontinued all of the advertising claims and testimonials for the company’s Daily Enrichment Multivitamin that were challenged by the Council...
Upcoming Events
Consumer Protection Priorities in the Biden Administration
Bringing Dark Patterns to Light: An FTC Workshop
Personal Care Products’ Council Virtual Summit
IFSCC's The Skin Virome: Recent Science and Product Claims in the COVID-19 Era
Resources
NAD Standard Track Infographic
NAD Fast-Track SWIFT Infographic
NAD Complex Track Infographic
Telecommunications Digest
Environmental Digest
Cosmetics and Personal Care Products Advertising Digest
Digital Marketing Digest
2020 COVID-19 Actions
Frequently Asked Questions