New York, NY – January 22, 2025 – As part of its routine monitoring program, BBB National Programs’ National Advertising Division determined that Ingenuity Brands, Inc., dba Ingenuity Brands and Brainiac Foods, provided a reasonable basis for certain claims in product packaging and online advertising for its Brainiac Brain Squeezers Applesauce products and BrainPack Daily Adult Gummy Vitamins. However, the National Advertising Division (NAD) recommended that other claims be discontinued or modified.
Applesauce Claims
NAD determined that Ingenuity provided a reasonable basis for the following Brainiac Brain Squeezers Applesauce claims:
NAD also concluded that the claim quantifying the extent of the nutrition gap that Ingenuity’s products are designed to help fill is supported based on WHO/FAO recommended intakes:
NAD found that in context, the “promotes brain health” claim conveyed a message that the applesauce provided important cognitive benefits beyond simply supporting brain health. Given the gap between the strength of the DHA in the applesauce and that tested in the underlying studies, NAD concluded that the cognitive benefits message was not supported and recommended that the “promotes brain health” claim be discontinued or modified to avoid overstating the benefits of the product.
NAD also recommended that Ingenuity discontinue the claim “clean ingredients” for its applesauce products and stated that to the extent Ingenuity wishes to make a “clean ingredients” claim in the future, it should ensure that the claim is properly supported and qualified to make clear the basis for the assertion that the product’s ingredients are “clean.”
BrainPack Daily Adult Gummy Vitamins Claims
NAD determined that one reasonable message conveyed by the label claims “Memory,” “Clarity,” “Focus,” and “Vision” was that the BrainPack Daily Adult Gummy Vitamins product would improve cognitive performance in a measurable way, a claim that was not supported by the record. Therefore, NAD recommended that the claims be discontinued or modified to avoid overstating the benefits of the vitamins.
During the proceeding, Ingenuity permanently discontinued certain claims for Brainiac Brain Bars and Brain Squeezers Applesauce. Therefore, NAD did not review these claims on their merits and will treat the claims, for compliance purposes, as though NAD recommended they be discontinued.
In its advertiser statement, Ingenuity stated that although it disagrees “with elements of the NAD’s analysis, it “agrees to comply with NAD’s recommendations.”
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About BBB National Programs: BBB National Programs, a non-profit organization, is the home of U.S. independent industry self-regulation, currently operating more than a dozen globally recognized programs that have been helping enhance consumer trust in business for more than 50 years. These programs provide third-party accountability and dispute resolution services that address existing and emerging industry issues, create a fairer playing field for businesses, and a better experience for consumers. BBB National Programs continues to evolve its work and grow its impact by providing business guidance and fostering best practices in arenas such as advertising, child-and-teen-directed marketing, data privacy, dispute resolution, automobile warranty, technology, and emerging areas. To learn more, visit bbbprograms.org.
About the National Advertising Division: The National Advertising Division of BBB National Programs provides independent self-regulation and dispute resolution services, guiding the truthfulness of advertising across the U.S. The National Advertising Division reviews national advertising in all media and its decisions set consistent standards for advertising truth and accuracy, delivering meaningful protection to consumers and leveling the playing field for business.
Contact:
Jennie Rosenberg
Media Relations
BBB National Programs
press@bbbnp.org
