AD Nauseam: A Different Type of Imposter Syndrome
In 1984, the international rock band, The Scorpions, released the song, “Rock You Like a Hurricane.” Forty years later, the Food and Drug Administration’s Office of Prescription Drug Promotion rocked a pharmaceutical company...more
Much like how Ray Charles lamented in 1967, the pharmaceutical industry is saying, “Here we go again, she’s back in town again,” as the Food and Drug Administration issued its second Notice of Violation in a month. Last week,...more
A new and powerful wave of “greenwashing” bans will sweep the European Union (EU) shortly. The EU’s Green Claims Directive and Greenwashing Directive (together, the Green Directives) are key legislative tools being introduced...more
The new greenwashing provisions in the Competition Act are attracting significant attention from Canadian businesses, especially for those focused on proactively discussing their efforts regarding emissions and the...more
On May 28, 2024, Chief Magistrate Judge Donna M. Ryu, of the United States District Court for the Northern District of California, certified a class of consumers in an action against Barilla Foods....more
Lindsay Finster v. Sephora USA Inc., No. 6:22-cv-01187 (N.D.N.Y. – March 15, 2024): The Northern District of New York dismissed a putative class action alleging that the marketing and labeling of defendant’s “Clean at...more
On April 17, 2024, the Division of Examinations (the “Division”) of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) published a Risk Alert entitled: “Initial Observations Regarding Advisers Act Marketing Rule Compliance”...more
Wonderbelly Antacid's Influencer Marketing Leaves NAD with a Bad Taste - The National Advertising Division (NAD) recently addressed a challenge involving Wonderbelly Antacid, an emerging brand in the antacid market,...more
Much is made of the need for accurate reporting in accordance with recognized standards. But this month, I’m returning to a topic I briefly touched on in July 2023, when I discussed the potential for misleading images and...more
If you’re an artist, creative person, or content creator (and who isn’t these days?), or you work on the creative side of brand marketing, you probably have some pre-existing assumptions about whether and when you can use...more
As federal and state regulators continue to crack down on telemarketing and text message marketing, businesses are now transitioning back to email marketing to reduce Telephone Consumer Protection Act (“TCPA”) regulatory...more
Our notable ruling roundup aims to keep our readers up to date on recent rulings in the food & consumer packaged goods space. - Deena Indiviglio v. B&G Foods, Inc., No. 7:22-cv-09545-VB (S.D.N.Y. – December 29, 2023): The...more
Our notable ruling roundup aims to keep our readers up to date on recent rulings in the food & consumer packaged goods space. Terri Little v. Naturestar North America, LLC, et al., No. 1:22-cv-00232-JLT-EPG (E.D. Cal. –...more
On November 21, 2023, the FDA published its final rule changing how prescriptions medicines are advertised to consumers. The FDA first issued its proposed rule in 2010, which subsequently went through three public comment...more
One year ago, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) hosted a workshop titled "Protecting Kids from Stealth Advertising in Digital Media" to address the merging of advertising and content in the digital realm and its impact on...more
“Greenwashing” refers to the practice of making false or misleading claims about the environmental benefits of a product in order to represent it as more environmentally friendly than it actually is. Given consumers’...more
Plot Twist: NAD Agrees That Advertiser Makes Implied Claims of Improved Animal Welfare – But Finds Advertiser's Claim Is Substantiated - The nonprofit organization Animal Welfare Institute (AWI) filed a challenge with the...more
The FTC and the FDA teamed up to send cease-and-desist letters to six companies alleging that their marketing of edible products containing Delta-8 tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) may violate Section 5 of the FTC Act because the...more
Our weekly roundup aims to keep our readers up to date on recent notable rulings in the food & consumer packaged goods space. - Kari Warren v. The Coca-Cola Company, No. 7:22-cv-06907-CS (S.D.N.Y. – April 21, 2023): The...more
The Competition Bureau published its sixth volume of the Deceptive Marketing Practices Digest on April 17. The latest edition looks at the use of fake scarcity cues in online marketplaces and provides an update on drip...more
Employing a brand extension strategy can be a powerful way to leverage an existing brand and its consumer reputation to promote a new product, flavor, or product variation. However, it can also mislead consumers and result in...more
While college basketball fans have been rushing to sports bars to eat wings and watch their teams make a run for the championship, one sports bar has been facing a class action lawsuit over its marketing of its chicken...more
LEGISLATION, REGULATIONS & STANDARDS - Evaluation of FDA Human Foods Program Finds Culture of “Constant Turmoil” - An independent review commissioned by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of the Human Foods Program...more
The Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) issued a report in September analyzing digital “dark patterns,” which are deceptive design practices that “trick or manipulate consumers into buying products or services or giving up their...more
Our Food & Beverage Team breaks down the settlement of an alcohol beverage labeling case whose implications could reverberate throughout the industry....more