NAD affirms Centrum ad claims

NEW YORK The National Advertising Division of the Council of Better Business Bureaus on Thursday affirmed that Wyeth Consumer Healthcare can support claims related to the “balanced” formula of Centrum Silver and Centrum brand vitamins.

NAD, the advertising industry’s self-regulatory forum, examined claims made by Wyeth in television, print and Internet advertising, as well as labeling claims, following a challenge by Bayer Healthcare. Claims at issue included:

• “With our better balanced formula, we work together to bring out the best in each other.”• “Better balanced to work together.”• “Working Better Together.  From A to Zinc.”• “Centrum balances combinations of nutrients to help them work to their full potential.”• “With 8 interactive combinations that help your body get more out of Centrum.”

Following its review of the advertising, NAD found that the comparison “better balanced” communicates a comparison to the prior version of Centrum and not against competing products. Further, NAD found that the advertiser’s claim of “8 interactive combinations” to be accurate and supported.  NAD found that the imagery presented by the elevator advertisement, on its own, did not falsely disparage or make a superiority claim against all other multivitamins.

Wyeth, in its advertiser’s statement, said the company “respects the NAD self-regulatory process and thanks the NAD for its comprehensive and efficient consideration of this matter.”