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SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2009
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NEWS ABOUT: false advertising

false advertising stories: 11 news summaries

(Newser) - The hysteria over the swine flu pandemic has spawned its share of magic cures, and health authorities are busy combating the snake oil salesmen, the Financial Times reports. Nearly half of the warning letters sent by the FDA to manufacturers and retailers since May have been issued to those... More »

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FDA • United States • false advertising • Food and Drug Administration • pandemic • swine flu • H1N1 virus • snake oil

 Caffeinated Booze 
 Prompts State Probes 

AGs said to be concerned over deceptive marketing

Jul 17, 09 1:01 PM CDT
(Newser) - State attorneys general are taking a hard look at increasingly popular caffeinated alcohol beverages amid fears the combination is dangerous and targeted at underage drinkers, the Wall Street Journal reports. The AGs are calling for company records from the makers of Joose and Four Loko. At 7-Eleven, Joose has had... More »

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advertising • alcohol • marketing • drink • caffeine • energy drink • MillerCoors • 7 Eleven • false advertising • attorney general • Anheuser-Busch • Joose • Four Loko

(Newser) - Purported swine flu cures are cropping up online, including a nostril sanitizer, air purifier, and a shampoo that makers say will wash that virus right out of your hair, the Kansas City Star reports. The FDA has mailed out more than 50 warnings to online sellers not to make such... More »

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Internet • fraud • treatment • false advertising • swine flu

(Newser) - Maybe Chuck Norris and Christie Brinkley did get those bods from that exercise equipment, but fears that consumers don’t really understand “results may vary” has the Federal Trade Commission looking to tighten its rules, Advertising Age reports. Advertisers would have to show that consumers would see similar results,... More »

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advertising • First Amendment • Chuck Norris • false advertising • Christie Brinkley • Federal Trade Commission

Supreme Court OKs Lawsuits Over 'Light' Cigarettes

State laws allow for legal action for alleged deceptive marketing

Dec 15, 08 10:22 AM CST
(AP) - The Supreme Court ruled today that lawsuits may proceed against tobacco companies for allegedly deceptive marketing of “light” cigarettes. In a 5-4 split won by the court’s liberals, the court said smokers may use state consumer-protection laws to sue over such promotional methods. The decision was at odds... More »

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label • John Paul Stevens • US Supreme Court • false advertising • cigarette

High Court Appears Cool
to Smokers' Suit

Marlboro ads make people really inhale, lawyers tell high court

Oct 6, 08 6:15 PM CDT
(Newser) - Supreme Court justices appeared skeptical over a lawsuit against Philip Morris cigarette ads today, McClatchy reports. A group of Maine smokers claim that ads for Marlboro Lights are deceptive, saying the company knew smokers would inhale more deeply on them and draw in more chemicals. At stake is the power... More »

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advertising • cigarettes • tobacco • Maine • tobacco companies • US Supreme Court • false advertising

 'Misleading' iPhone Ad Banned 

British regulators say claim that device can access 'all parts of the internet' is untrue

Aug 27, 08 4:42 PM CDT
(Newser) - British advertising regulators have banned a commercial claiming iPhones have “access to all the parts of the internet,” citing technological limitations that prevent users from seeing some websites, CNET News reports. iPhones don’t have Flash or Java, and while Apple simply intended to contrast the product with... More »

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advertising • false advertising • iPhone 3G

Airborne Will Offer Refunds Over Ad Claims

Maker of fizzy orange tablet settles with feds after cold-cure boasts

Aug 15, 08 4:22 PM CDT
(Newser) - Airborne—the fizzy orange tablet long pitched as a way to cure and prevent the common cold—will refund consumers the price of up to six purchases because it has no evidence to back up those claims, the Washington Post reports. Under a deal cut yesterday, the company will add... More »

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vitamins • lawsuit • class action • false advertising • Airborne

Cold 'Remedy' Firm Settles
Suit for $23M

Airborne ends class action with promise of consumer refunds

Mar 4, 08 3:10 PM CST
(Newser) - Herbal supplement company Airborne will pay $23.3 million to settle a class-action suit alleging false advertising but won't say it did anything wrong, CNNMoney reports. At issue was the company's claim its pills could cure colds. Airborne denies “any wrongdoing or illegal conduct,” but it will give... More »

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drugs • immune system • lawsuit • common cold • herbal medicine • false advertising • alternative medicine • Airborne • refund

Subway Sues Quiznos
Over Ad Contest

Sandwich-maker offered $10K to fan that best mocked competitor

Jan 29, 08 7:30 PM CST
(Newser) - Subway is suing Quiznos after the sub-maker invited fans to drum up ads for an online contest, the New York Times reports. Two years ago, Quiznos offered $10,000 to the fan whose ad best compared Quiznos subs to Subway's "with Quiznos being superior." Subway fumed after seeing... More »

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advertising • contest • commercials • lawsuit • Subway • false advertising • Quiznos

Verizon Sues Alltel Over Guinea Pig Ad

Wireless giant says claims made in commercial are untrue

Jan 6, 08 1:23 PM CST
(Newser) - Verizon Wireless is suing rival Alltel for false advertising over a television commercial featuring a vicious guinea pig, the Register reports. In the ad, a caged rodent named Alice is compared to Verizon customers who lack the freedom to change calling plans without extending their contracts. Released from her cage,... More »

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cell phones • Verizon • telecom industry • commercials • telephone • Alltel • false advertising • guinea pig

11 Stories


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