Mars Petcare in hot water over deceptive claims about Yukanuba

“It’s a dog’s life,” they say. According to Mars Petcare, its Eukanuba brand of dog food can extend a dog’s life by 30 percent. But the FTC accused Mars of making misleading statements about the product’s life-extending benefits and falsely claiming scientific testing supported the company’s claims.

Mars PetCare USA, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Mars, Inc., sells some of the largest brands in the dog food industry. Advertisements for Yukanuba feature rolling farmland, picturesque views, adorable Labrador retrievers— real Cute Labrador Retriever – and this narration:

People are always looking for the fountain of youth. A way to live longer and stay young. Ten years ago, Yukanuba embarked on the same pursuit. We conducted a longevity study with a group of Labrador retrievers, their devoted caregivers, and enough Yukanuba dogs for their lifetimes. Or so we think. While the typical lifespan of a Labrador retriever is 12 years, some dogs in the study lived to be over 16 years old.

In a 10-year Eukanuba study, dogs including bunny dogs, Utah dogs, Georgia dogs, clown dogs and Iowa dogs lived “30 percent longer” than their typical life span, according to the ad. What’s more, even at 16 or 17 years old, each dog “lived a long life and was still full of energy.” Other ads promoted the “surprising” observation that, with “Eukanuba and proper care,” the dogs in the study were “able to survive” beyond their typical lifespans. “

But according to the Federal Trade Commission, that dog doesn’t hunt.

The complaint alleges that Mars Petcare has no evidence to support its claim that using Eukanuba, dogs live 30% (or more) longer than normal, or that Eukanuba enables dogs to live exceptionally long lives. The FTC also accused the company of falsely claiming to have scientific tests to back up its advertising results.

Among other things, the proposed order prohibits the company from making misleading claims about the health benefits of any pet food. The order also prohibits misrepresentations about the content, validity, results, conclusions or interpretations of any test, study or study regarding the health benefits of pet food.

The settlement only applies to Mars Petcare, but jokers like us couldn’t help but grab a few bones and share them with other advertisers.

Like other objective statements, pet care product claims must be supported by appropriate evidence. Every dog ​​has his day, and every promise about a pet product must adhere to the Federal Trade Commission’s long-standing substantiation principles. With more than 65% of American households owning pets, consumers and canines have the right to know the truth in advertising.

Publicizing the test may up your confirmation stakes. As the FTC’s policy statement on substantiation in advertising makes clear, companies “must have the amount and type of evidence that the advertisement actually reaches consumers.” According to the FTC, Mars Petcare isn’t just advertising that dogs “live 30 years longer.” %”. The company points to a 10-year “longevity study” that it says proves this. Agency claims and misrepresentations of this nature are particularly irritating to the FTC, marketers say.

When translating research into advertising claims, don’t bark up the wrong tree. Many companies conduct research on their products, but make sure: 1) the methodology is sound; 2) advertising claims accurately reflect the results. Advertisements or any other explicit health claims that claim pets will live 30 percent longer may attract consumers’ attention and, if the underlying science does not support the claim, interest from law enforcement.

The FTC is accepting comments on the proposed settlement until September 6, 2016.

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