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June 30th, 2011
CARU Tells Paramount to Modify Advertising for “Justin Bieber: Never Say Never”
The Children's Advertising Review Unit ("CARU") of the Council of Better Business Bureaus, Inc. recently recommended that Paramount Pictures Corp. modify or discontinue a television commercial for the film, "Justin Bieber: Never Say Never." CARU, which is the advertising industry’s self-regulatory body for children’s advertising, said that it believed that the commercial was misleading to children.
According to CARU, the commercial, which aired during children’s programming, featured a movie theater brimming with excited fans—mostly young girls—who were waiting to see the 3D film about Bieber’s rise to stardom. The commercial then shows a live Justin Bieber who bursts through the screen and states, "this could happen in your theatre." CARU alleged that the commercial did not disclose that the singer would only appear in a few select theaters in the Los Angeles area.
CARU determined that the commercial would mislead children into believing Justin Bieber was going to make live appearances at local theaters in areas where the commercial was airing. Therefore, CARU recommended that Paramount discontinue the commercial or modify it to remove the statement, "this could happen in your theatre."
CARU reviews advertising for compliance with its children’s advertising guidelines. When reviewing advertising, CARU considers the particular vulnerabilities of children, such as inexperience, immaturity, and lack of cognitive skills needed to evaluate the credibility of advertising.
If you have any questions about children’s advertising or compliance with the CARU guidelines, please contact Claudine Wilson at (212) 705 4842 or cwilson@fkks.com, Jeffrey A. Greenbaum at (212) 826 5525 or jgreenbaum@fkks.com, or any other member of the Frankfurt Kurnit Advertising Group.
Disclaimer. This alert provides general coverage of its subject area. We provide it with the understanding that Frankfurt Kurnit Klein & Selz is not engaged herein in rendering legal advice, and shall not be liable for any damages resulting from any error, inaccuracy, or omission. Our attorneys practice law only in jurisdictions in which they are properly authorized to do so. We do not seek to represent clients in other jurisdictions.
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“Made in the U.S.A.” Claims Continue to be Scrutinized
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June 4 2018
