NAD Fast-Track SWIFT
SWIFT stands for Single Well-defined Issue Fast Track. A challenge is appropriate for Fast-Track SWIFT if it challenges a single well-defined issue that does not require review of complex evidence or argument and will be capable of resolution within the Fast-Track SWIFT timeline. Decisions are issued within 20 business days from the date payment is received and the advertiser receives the challenge.
Fast-Track SWIFT Benefits
Expedited
The Fast-Track SWIFT process allows parties to receive an NAD decision within 20 business days from the opening of the caseSpecific
Challenges are limited to a single issue and must fit into one of the three “claim type” categoriesStreamlined
Submissions are made online and only one substantive submission is permitted per partyEligible Claim Types
Fast-Track SWIFT challenges are limited to a single issue. Claims that may be worded slightly differently but still convey the same message can be brought in a single challenge. Eligible claims can include:
- A misleading express or implied claim that does not require review of complex evidence or substantiation such as clinical or technical testing or consumer perception evidence
- The prominence or sufficiency of disclosures including disclosure issues in influencer marketing, native advertising, and incentivized reviews
- Misleading pricing and sales claims
Initiating a Case
All Fast-Track SWIFT challenges must be submitted via the NAD Challenge Portal and include:
- The advertiser’s contact information, including identifying the correct person to whom the challenge should be directed
- A copy of the challenged advertising and the date(s) and platforms(s) the challenged claim appeared
- A brief description of the facts showing how the advertising is likely controlled by the advertiser
- Exhibits to support the argument that the challenged claim is not substantiated (if applicable)
- A brief statement as to why the challenged claim is appropriate for the SWIFT process (e.g., it fits within the categories defined as appropriate for SWIFT review, etc.)
- The filing fee must be received by NAD before the 20-day countdown clock will begin on the challenge
Filing Fees
Fees are based on annual revenue per the breakdown below. Filing fee waivers or partial waivers are available if economic hardship is demonstrated.
Fast-Track SWIFT Filing Fees (effective November 9, 2021)
National Partner:
- Annual Revenue Under $250M: $12,000
- Annual Revenue Under $5B: $32,000
- Annual Revenue Over $5B: $40,000
- Fast-Track SWIFT - Disclosure: $10,000
Non-National Partner:
- Annual Revenue Under $250M: $15,000
- Annual Revenue Under $5B: $40,000
- Annual Revenue Over $5B: $50,000
- Fast-Track SWIFT - Disclosure: $12,500
The filing fees should be accompanied by a statement indicating the category into which the challenger’s gross annual revenue falls. In the case of a subsidiary, the filing fee is determined by the gross annual revenue of the parent company.
SWIFT Case Decisions
Molson Coors Appeals National Advertising Division Recommendation to Discontinue “Light Beer Shouldn’t Taste Like Water” Claim
New York, NY – February 23, 2023 – In a Fast-Track SWIFT challenge brought by Anheuser-Busch, the National Advertising Division (NAD) recommended that Molson Coors discontinue the claim that “light beer shouldn’t taste like water. It should taste like beer.”
In Two Fast-Track SWIFT Cases, National Advertising Division Recommends Claim be Modified or Discontinued and Disclosures Voluntarily Modified
New York, NY – Dec. 8, 2022 – The National Advertising Division (NAD) closed two new Fast-Track SWIFT cases in December. In those cases Verizon Communications, Inc. challenged the claim that Comcast Cable Communications' Xfinity internet service is “up to 7x faster than Verizon 5G Home Internet,” and...
In Fast-Track SWIFT Case, National Advertising Division Recommends Advertiser Claims be Modified or Discontinued
New York, NY – September 6, 2022 – The National Advertising Division (NAD) recommended that Visible Services LLC, a subsidiary of Verizon Communications, Inc., modify or discontinue pricing claims associated with its prepaid wireless service plan.
In Two Fast-Track SWIFT Cases, National Advertising Division Recommends Advertiser Claims be Discontinued in One, Modification of Disclosures in Other
New York, NY – June 28, 2022 – The National Advertising Division (NAD) of BBB National Programs closed two Fast-Track SWIFT cases in May 2022. In these cases, AT&T Services, Inc. challenged Charter Communications, Inc.’s (Spectrum) claim that AT&T’s internet service provides...