Attribute Proximity Leaves Dish Detergent Claims Spotty

NARB: Claims misplaced on packaging won't come out in the wash

Undisputed Confusion

Back in January 2017, the Procter & Gamble Co. appealed to the National Advertising Division (NAD) to review and assess the advertising of one of its fiercest rivals, Reckitt Benckiser, producer of the Finish brand dishwasher detergent. Among other topics at issue, Finish's advertising and packaging touted the product within as the "#1 World's Recommended Brand."

This tag line appeared next to several product attribute claims – that Finish "helps prevent limescale, cuts through grease" and boasts "quick dissolving cleaning power."

The NAD concluded that the proximity of these attribute claims to the "#1 World's Recommended Brand" tagline was misleading, since it was not clear whether the recommendations were due to the specific listed attributes or to some other feature or rationale (the truth of the No. 1 claim was never in dispute).