A Hefty False Advertising Case: When The Competition Calls You Wimpy

If you're interested in garbage, the crass objectification of male celebrities, or both – or if you consider the two roughly equivalent – have I got a false advertising case for you!  Despite their "Don't Get Mad; Get Glad" tagline, the makers of Glad trash bags got pretty mad at a recent advertising campaign launched by their competitor, Hefty. So mad, in fact, that they filed a complaint with the National Advertising Division (NAD) of the Better Business Bureau.

NAD is a self-regulatory body run by the Better Business Bureau. It hears false advertising disputes, and recommends that problematic advertising be discontinued. Companies cannot be compelled to follow NAD's recommendations, but not doing so can result in a referral by the NAD to Federal Trade Commission, something most advertisers prefer to avoid.