Tag: BNN

August 22, 2024 – Enterval Analytics, LLC, a leading student loan analytics company, today released the 22nd edition of its semi-annual Private Student Loan Report. The latest Report offers detailed data and analytics on the US private student in-school lending market, highlighting current private student loan performance, and comparing it to pre-pandemic 3-year averages. The Report underscores that a majority of borrowers continue to responsibly manage their private student loans.

At the end of Q1 2024, early-stage delinquency remained steady at 3.02%, while late-stage delinquencies were 1.61%. Annualized gross charge-offs were 2.56%. The 3-year average for the pre-pandemic timeframe of 2017 to 2019 were 2.57%, 1.57%, and 2.04%, respectively. At the end of Q1 2024, 75.91% of private student loan borrowers were in repayment, which is slightly more than the three-year pre-pandemic average of 75.46%.

“Private student loan borrowers continue to demonstrate responsible repayment management,” explains John Falb, CEO of Enterval Analytics. “The pandemic introduced unique private student loan origination and repayment trends, but the data confirms market performance is normalizing.”

The Report represents data contributed by thirteen private lenders, who collectively account for over 70% of the active in-school private student loan lender market. Report contributors originated $8.92B in private student loans during the first three quarters of academic year 2023/24. In addition to being fully underwritten to assess creditworthiness and ability to repay, private student loans are school certified with 90.40% of loans being cosigned.

Based on the latest available federal student loan data, approximately 92.37% or $1.6 trillion of the loans today are made by the federal government; the remaining 7.61% or $133.43 billion of the student loan market as of Q3 2024 are private student loans. Undergraduate loans account for 90.70% of the outstanding private student loan portfolio.

The full Private Student Loan Report is available for download at https://www.enterval.com/#reports.

The bi-annual Report includes continuous contributions from the five largest student loan lenders and holders: Citizens Bank, N.A., College Ave, Navient, PNC Bank, N.A., and Sallie Mae Bank. In addition, the report includes data from eight other student lender contributors.

About Enterval Analytics

Enterval Analytics was formed to provide industry leading research, tools, and insights for the private student loan market. In 2021, Enterval acquired certain reporting assets of MeasureOne and has assumed the lead in creating this report.

Enterval has a dedicated team of seasoned professionals, with specialized experience in data analysis, finance, student loan portfolio management, higher education policy, public and government relations—Enterval is uniquely positioned to deliver reporting and software tool solutions focused on the higher education space. For more information about Enterval, visit www.enterval.com.

New York, NY – August 21, 2024 – The BBB National Programs National Advertising Division has closed a Fast-Track SWIFT challenge initiated by Dyson, Inc. regarding advertising by SharkNinja Operating, LLC for its Shark Clean & Empty Cordless Stick Vacuum & Auto-Empty System.

Fast-Track SWIFT is an expedited process designed for single-issue advertising cases brought to the National Advertising Division (NAD).

Dyson challenged the adequacy of the disclosure used in connection with SharkNinja’s claim that its Clean & Empty Vacuum offers “500x less dust exposure* (*Based on third-party plume testing while emptying vs. manual empty),” in digital advertising, third-party retailer websites, on SharkNinja’s website, and product packaging.

In response to Dyson’s SWIFT challenge, SharkNinja informed NAD that it has permanently discontinued use of the disclosure identified by Dyson and that all future claims of comparative dust exposure will include a modified disclosure clearly stating the basis of comparison, which is a comparison to the Shark Navigator.

Therefore, NAD did not review the challenge on the merits and will treat the advertising, for compliance purposes, as though NAD recommended it be discontinued.

All BBB National Programs case decision summaries can be found in the case decision library. For the full text of NAD, NARB, and CARU decisions, subscribe to the online archive. This press release shall not be used for advertising or promotional purposes.

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 (NAD) of BBB National Programs provides independent self-regulation and dispute resolution services, guiding the truthfulness of advertising across the U.S. NAD 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

New York, NY – August 16, 2024 – In a Fast-Track SWIFT challenge, BBB National Programs’ National Advertising Division recommended that Datarails, Inc. clearly and conspicuously disclose its material connection to The Finance Weekly website where endorsement, rankings, and reviews appear.

Cube Planning, Inc., a competitor in the Financial Planning and Analysis (FP&A) software solutions market, challenged Datarails advertising on The Finance Weekly website.

Fast-Track SWIFT is an expedited process designed for single-issue advertising cases brought to the National Advertising Division (NAD). At issue for NAD was whether the affiliation between The Finance Weekly and Datarails is adequately disclosed.

NAD determined that there was a material connection between Datarails and The Finance Weekly website and that connection was not clearly and conspicuously disclosed. NAD noted that Datarails advertises throughout the website (and appears to be the only advertiser on the website), however, portions of the website that rank services do not disclose this material connection.

To ensure that Datarails advertising does not mislead consumers, NAD recommended that Datarails clearly and conspicuously disclose its material connection to The Finance Weekly website where endorsement, rankings, and reviews appear.

Datarails denied knowledge of the rating and ranking criteria of The Finance Weekly. NAD noted that in using an expert endorsement, Datarails, like any advertiser, has an obligation to ensure the endorsement is truthful.

Therefore, NAD recommended that Datarails discontinue using expert endorsements that do not:

• Have the correct experience to review the service;
• Review the product using that expertise to examine competing products or services; and
• Conclude the product or services are superior to other products or services with respect to the features reviewed.

In its advertiser statement, Datarails stated that it “intends to comply” with NAD’s recommendations.

All BBB National Programs case decision summaries can be found in the case decision library. For the full text of NAD, NARB, and CARU decisions, subscribe to the online archive. This press release shall not be used for advertising or promotional purposes.

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.

New York, NY – August 15, 2024 – In a challenge brought by ZenBusiness, Inc., BBB National Programs’ National Advertising Division determined that LegalZoom, Inc. provided a reasonable basis for certain claims regarding its online corporate formation services but recommended that it discontinue or modify others.

Superiority Claims

ZenBusiness challenged several iterations of social media ad and sponsored search ad claims stating that LegalZoom is the “#1 Choice” for online small business formation and is “#1 Rated/Voted” by small businesses.

The National Advertising Division (NAD) determined that the three surveys relied on by LegalZoom as evidence were not a good fit for supporting the claims and recommended they be discontinued. NAD noted that its decision does not prevent LegalZoom from relying on the surveys for different, supported claims.

Best LLC Claim

NAD found that LegalZoom’s “Best LLC Service” claim, which appeared in a sponsored search ad, is puffery and does not require support. NAD noted that, in context, the claim is used as a vague statement of corporate pride without conveying a message that LegalZoom has been measured to be the “best” in a quantified, objectifiable way.

Price Savings Claims

LegalZoom’s website features a direct comparison of its business formation services to those offered by ZenBusiness. NAD found the claims that ZenBusiness is “up to 20% more expensive than LegalZoom” and that customers who use LegalZoom’s business formation services “can save up to $39” compared to ZenBusiness were substantiated. However, NAD recommended that LegalZoom modify its comparison chart to accurately indicate that ZenBusiness offers a website builder free for one month with its starter package.

NAD also found that LegalZoom’s proposed modification to its comparison chart to clearly and conspicuously identify both companies as offering compliance services (included by ZenBusiness for the first year) would not mislead consumers about the compliance offerings of each competitor.

Disclosure of Affiliate Relationship

LegalZoom’s website features a box with the language “as seen in” followed by the logos of Forbes, Mashable, The New York Times, CNBC, and The Today Show. NAD recommended that if LegalZoom has a material connection, including an affiliate relationship with the publications and media outlets featured in its “as seen in” advertisement, that material connection should be clearly and conspicuously disclosed on LegalZoom’s website.

On another part of its website, LegalZoom touts its relationship with its business partners stating in large black font “Build a successful business with help from our partners” followed by the statement “Whether you’re just starting out or looking to scale your business, our partners have solutions and special offers.” Below the text, six partner logos are featured, which NAD found clearly and conspicuously discloses the commercial relationship between LegalZoom and its partners.

Consumer Purchase Flows

NAD reviewed two challenged portions of LegalZoom’s LLC purchase flow and recommended that LegalZoom:

• Modify the registered agent purchase flow to clearly and conspicuously disclose the options available to consumers; and
• Modify the order review page to clearly and conspicuously reflect the pricing of the add-on features, both in their line-item appearance and in the total price at the end of the page.

In its advertiser statement, LegalZoom stated that it “will comply with NAD’s decision.” LegalZoom further stated that although it “disagrees with some of NAD’s conclusions, as a strong supporter of industry self-regulation LegalZoom will take NAD’s recommendations into account as it revises its materials.”

All BBB National Programs case decision summaries can be found in the case decision library. For the full text of NAD, NARB, and CARU decisions, subscribe to the online archive. This press release shall not be used for advertising or promotional purposes.

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 (NAD) of BBB National Programs provides independent self-regulation and dispute resolution services, guiding the truthfulness of advertising across the U.S. NAD 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.  

New York, NY – August 13, 2024 – In a challenge brought by Johnson & Johnson Consumer Inc. (JJCI), BBB National Programs’ National Advertising Division recommended that ASO LLC discontinue its “2x faster healing” claims for its hydrocolloid bandages.

Hydrocolloid bandages are moist wound dressings that turn into a gel after absorbing fluid. ASO’s bandages are sold under their brand names, All-Health and Care Science, as well as its private label customers’ brands sold in pharmacies.

The “up to 2x faster healing” claims appeared on several media platforms, on the bandage packaging, and retailer websites. The claim appeared adjacent to ASO’s “SMART-HEAL^®” trademark with the disclosure that “*Hydrocolloids have been shown to heal minor cuts, scrapes, abrasions, lacerations, blisters, and scalds up to 2x faster than a simple dry bandage. Journal of Athletic Training 2007; 42(3):422-424.”

The National Advertising Division (NAD) concluded that some consumers looking at ASO’s advertising might take away the message that the “up to 2x faster healing” claim is a comparison between hydrocolloid bandages and traditional dry bandages. Another message NAD determined to be reasonably conveyed is that ASO’s product, or its Smart-Heal Technology, as opposed to hydrocolloids generally, promotes up to 2x faster healing.

NAD found that while ASO’s evidence suggests hydrocolloids may speed the wound healing process, it does not reasonably support qualified claims that hydrocolloids have been shown to heal up to 2x faster than dry bandages. As a result, and because ASO provided no evidence of its own bandages’ relative healing times, NAD determined that the evidence also does not support claims that ASO’s product or its Smart-Heal Technology promotes up to 2x faster healing.

For these reasons, NAD recommended that ASO discontinue its “up to 2x faster healing” claims.

In addition, JJCI argued that ASO’s “up to 2x faster” claims falsely imply that ASO’s hydrocolloid bandages have premarket approval from the FDA as Class III medical devices. However, NAD did not find that any of the challenged advertising or claims reasonably conveyed such a message.

In its advertiser statement, ASO stated that it “agrees to comply with NAD’s recommendation” although it believes the up to 2x faster healing claim “to be fully supported” by the studies showing that hydrocolloid bandages offer improved healing times and “disagrees with this aspect of NAD’s decision.”

All BBB National Programs case decision summaries can be found in the case decision library. For the full text of NAD, NARB, and CARU decisions, subscribe to the online archive. This press release shall not be used for advertising or promotional purposes.

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

Third-generation Lexis+ AI features highly personalized Protégé Legal AI Assistant, driven by customer feedback as part of US Commercial Preview program

NEW YORK – LexisNexis^® Legal & Professional, a leading global provider of AI-powered analytics and decision tools, today announced the US Commercial Preview program for LexisNexis Protégé^™ Legal AI Assistant on the third generation of Lexis+ AI^®. Protégé^™ marks a substantial leap forward in personalized generative AI that will transform legal work, with personalization choices controlled by the customer. Customer-driven innovation is core to the company’s product development, and LexisNexis is taking a customer-first approach to the generative AI technology journey as well. LexisNexis is teaming up with leading Am Law 100 firms as part of the US Commercial Preview program to tap into their continuous feedback.

Protégé builds on Lexis+ AI technology and market leadership. Lexis+ AI is commercially available in the US, US law schools, Canada, the UK, France, and Australia. Lexis+ AI is the only major legal generative AI solution used in law school curricula today, available in 100 percent of US law schools. Near term, Lexis+ AI international market expansion plans include Austria, Hong Kong, New Zealand, Malaysia, and Singapore. Lexis+ AI users worldwide have generated millions of prompts and conversations, forming one of the world’s largest sets of user experience data in legal generative AI.

“Our customers are at the forefront of co-developing legal generative AI technology with us by testing, providing feedback, and adopting Lexis+ AI,” said Sean Fitzpatrick, CEO of LexisNexis North America, UK and Ireland. “Customers guide our vision. They are ready to progress from a Legal AI Assistant built for everyone, to the next phase – a Legal AI Assistant uniquely customized and tailored for each individual legal professional.”

LexisNexis Protégé is a private, trusted Legal AI Assistant, unique to each legal professional. Personalization choices are controlled by the user or their organization – creating a set of choices to optimize the user’s generative AI experience. Protégé will support legal professionals in making informed decisions faster, generating outstanding work quality, and freeing up time to focus on efforts that drive economic value for their clients and organizations:

• Protégé is dedicated to understanding each user’s legal work needs, continuously learning and improving, and anticipating new ways to support them. Last month, LexisNexis acquired Henchman, a Belgium-based company, to catalyze its shift to personalized generative AI. Henchman’s advanced technology provides deeper access to law firms’ internal work product. Its technology enriches data from law firms’ Document Management Systems (DMS), enabling users to quickly mine internal repositories and extract and interact with key insights. Integrating Henchman^® DMS technology with trusted LexisNexis^® content using its proprietary Retrieval Augmented Generation (RAG) 2.0 platform improves answer quality and accelerates personalized generative AI.
• Protégé personalization capabilities fuel a wide set of new AI-enabled tasks. Protégé knows specifics about each user like workflow preferences, daily task requirements, firm standards, teamwork and communication styles, legal areas of specialization, and past work product. It proactively suggests subscribed LexisNexis products to provide insights and analytics. Protégé will become increasingly versatile, flexible, and useful as new technologies are incorporated like voice and multi-media processing.
• Protégé is ubiquitous across the LexisNexis AI-powered ecosystem––from the company’s portfolio of products to Microsoft 365 for Microsoft Word, Outlook, Teams, and Copilot. Protégé seamlessly works alongside the user, whether in a LexisNexis solution or third-party application like Microsoft, to reduce application switching time, accelerate efficiency, and meet the user where they work.
• The Protégé core framework integrates safety, security, and Privacy by Design principles. This ensures that interactions are backed by state-of-the-art security and privacy technology to keep data and user information highly secure.

In Q3 and Q4 2024, the Protégé personalization journey begins for users with functionality that:  

• Knows my work and leverages my own work product – provides searchable internal firm data combined with AI for deep insights, enables batch upload capabilities and performs AI tasks, and analyzes my documents and provides contextual recommendations.
• Knows my workflow and meets me where I work – integrates across LexisNexis solutions and Microsoft 365 and provides Shepard’s^® insights within conversations.
• Knows my tasks and supports a wide range of new use cases – supports daily task organization, client meeting deliverables, and deposition preparation. Protégé builds timelines, conducts AI code compare, initiates statutory horizon scanning, enables document upload and analysis, drafts full documents, and conducts intelligent legal research.
• Knows me and supports complex conversations – provides personalized responses based on user profiles and past behaviors, engages in sophisticated dialogue with clarifying questions and recommendations, and gives responses informed by subscribed LexisNexis products.
• Knows how to harness innovative, new technology to uniquely support me (2025) – includes answering prompts by voice, multimedia processing across text, image, video and audio, and news horizon scanning to identify breaking opportunities and risks.   

For more information on LexisNexis Protégé Legal AI Assistant, visit www.lexisnexis.com/protege. For more information on Lexis+ AI, visit www.lexisnexis.com/ai.

About LexisNexis AI Development

LexisNexis is responsibly developing legal AI solutions with human oversight. LexisNexis, part of RELX, follows the RELX Responsible AI Principles, considering the real-world impact of its solutions on people and taking action to prevent the creation or reinforcement of unfair bias. LexisNexis deploys ethical, powerful generative AI solutions with a flexible, multi-model approach that prioritizes using the best model for each legal use case and enables the company to investigate and deploy new models with unmatched speed.

Using the LexisNexis advanced proprietary Retrieval Augmented Generation (RAG) 2.0 platform integrated with Shepard’s^® Knowledge Graph, Lexis+ AI responses are grounded in comprehensive, exclusive legal content with case law relationship information to deliver validated citation references, ensuring high-quality and authoritative answers. Lexis+ AI delivers trusted results with state-of-the-art encryption and privacy technology to keep data secure. Uploaded documents are purged or retained as dictated by the customer, and customers can easily manage or delete their prompt conversation history. Lexis+ AI is continually improving with hundreds of thousands of rated answer samples by LexisNexis legal subject matter experts used for model tuning. LexisNexis employs over 2,000 technologists, data scientists, and subject matter experts to develop, test, and validate its solutions.

About LexisNexis Legal & Professional
LexisNexis^® Legal & Professional provides legal, regulatory, and business information and analytics that help customers increase their productivity, improve decision-making, achieve better outcomes, and advance the rule of law around the world. As a digital pioneer, the company was the first to bring legal and business information online with its Lexis^® and Nexis^® services. LexisNexis Legal & Professional, which serves customers in more than 150 countries with 11,800 employees worldwide, is part of RELX, a global provider of information-based analytics and decision tools for professional and business customers.

Media Contact
Dana Greenstein
Director of Communications, North America & UK
LexisNexis Legal & Professional
212-448-2163
dana.greenstein@lexisnexis.com

New York, NY – August 8, 2024 – A panel of the National Advertising Review Board (NARB), the appellate advertising body of BBB National Programs, recommended that AT&T Services, Inc. discontinue or modify the claim that Supplemental Coverage from Space (SCS) is currently available to AT&T consumers.

The advertising at issue had been challenged by T-Mobile US, Inc. before BBB National Programs’ National Advertising Division (NAD) as part of NAD’s Fast-Track SWIFT expedited challenge process, designed for single-issue advertising cases. Following NAD’s decision (Case No. 7335), AT&T appealed NAD’s recommendations.

It was not disputed that AT&T does not currently offer SCS coverage to its cellular customers. In agreeing with NAD, the NARB panel concluded that one reasonable message conveyed by AT&T’s “Epic Bad Golf Day” commercial (which shows an AT&T cellular call connecting through a satellite relay and displays the visual “making satellite connection”) is that SCS technology is currently available to customers of AT&T’s mobile service.

Therefore, the NARB panel recommended that AT&T discontinue the claim that SCS service is presently available to consumers or modify the claim to clearly and conspicuously communicate that SCS is not available at this time.

The NARB panel noted that nothing in its decision precludes AT&T from making truthful and non-misleading aspirational claims about SCS.

AT&T stated that although the company respectfully disagrees with “NARB’s conclusion recommending that the commercial be discontinued or modified,” it “supports NARB’s self-regulatory process and will comply with NARB’s decision.”

All BBB National Programs case decision summaries can be found in the case decision library. For the full text of NAD, NARB, and CARU decisions, subscribe to the online archive.

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 Review Board (NARB): The National Advertising Review Board (NARB) is the appellate body for BBB National Programs’ advertising self-regulatory programs. NARB’s panel members include 85 distinguished volunteer professionals from the national advertising industry, agencies, and public members, such as academics and former members of the public sector. NARB serves as a layer of independent industry peer review that helps engender trust and compliance in NAD, CARU, and DSSRC matters.

Contact:
Jennie Rosenberg
Media Relations
BBB National Programs
press@bbbnp.org

New York, NY – August 8, 2024 – In a challenge brought by competitor People Center, Inc. d/b/a Rippling, BBB National Programs’ National Advertising Division determined that Deel, Inc., in connection with its Payroll and Human Resource Information System (HRIS), provided a reasonable basis for certain claims, including Deel’s “save up to $20,000 per year” claim and accompanying chart, as well as the claim that Deel has an “industry leading global payroll software.”

However, the National Advertising Division (NAD) recommended that Deel modify or discontinue certain other claims, including comparative claims versus Rippling’s native payroll software, legal compliance, and customer support.

The parties are human resources and payroll service providers that offer multiple services.

Native and In-House Payroll Claims

Rippling challenged claims about “native” and “in-house” payroll systems that appeared in charts on Deel’s website:

• “Payroll service is native and operated in-house in every country – Deel ✓, Rippling X”
• “Payroll service is native and operated in-house in every country – Deel ✓ Yes, Rippling X No, they currently use partners in some countries.

The National Advertising Division (NAD) determined that customers could reasonably take away the message that native payroll includes native payroll software. Further, customers may reasonably take away the message that Rippling does not offer in-house and native payroll in all the countries in which it offers global payroll (outside of employer of record).

Therefore, NAD recommended that Deel modify these claims by clearly and conspicuously defining what “native” means and clarifying that the comparison with Rippling also includes countries where they offer payroll as part of their employer of record services.

Industry-Leading Payroll Claim

Deel claims on its website to have “[i]ndustry leading global payroll software” and, in a smaller font, “Deel is a leader in multi-country payroll and contractor payments, according to G2 user reviews.”

The National Advertising Division (NAD) determined that the phrase “global payroll software” means that Deel offers payroll software globally—whether that is in-house or through a third-party. Further, NAD considered the language and the context in which the “industry leading” language appears and concluded the claim does not convey a superlative message. Consumers are likely to take away the message that Deel is among the top in the industry, but not necessarily the best.

Since the record indicates that Deel has significant revenue, market presence, and a large global footprint, and there is no dispute that Deel and Rippling are among the many leaders in the global payroll market, NAD concluded that this claim was not false or misleading.

HRIS Comparative Claims

Rippling challenged claims on Deel’s website that customers can “[s]witch to Deel HR and save up to $20,000 per year.” An accompanying chart below the claim lists seven product features with Rippling and Deel displaying checkmarks for each feature. The chart states that Deel is “Free for companies with less than 200 employees” while Rippling costs “$8 employee/month.”

The National Advertising Division (NAD) concluded that because both products offer the touted features, it is not misleading to characterize Deel’s software as having those product features and that the product comparison chart is not misleading.

HRIS Superlative Claims

The National Advertising Division (NAD) determined that there was no evidence in the record to support an unqualified claim that Deel is #1 in the market. Therefore, NAD recommended that Deel discontinue the claims:

• “The market leader in the Global HR space.”
• “Build confidence in your compliance with the #1 Global HR platform.”

Preference Claim

The National Advertising Division (NAD) determined that data relied on by Deel is not a good fit for its claim that “Teams prefer Deel over Rippling for global HR and Payroll” because it did not indicate a preference for one product over another. Accordingly, NAD recommended that the claim be discontinued.

Compliance Claims

Rippling challenged claims about legal compliance that appeared in charts on Deel’s website:

• “Network of 200+ local legal hiring experts around the world — ✓ Yes, Rippling X No”
• “Compliance document collection for contractors, on top of EOR, constantly reviewed and updated.”

The National Advertising Division (NAD) determined that in context it is reasonable to take away the message that Rippling has an inferior network of legal experts around the world, and it does not offer compliance document collection. Since Deel submitted no evidence in support of these two claims, NAD recommended it discontinue the comparative part of these claims as they relate to Rippling and cease conveying the messages that there are legal risks associated with using Rippling products and that Rippling’s products are not compliant.

NAD noted that nothing in its decision would prevent Deel from advertising its network of local legal hiring experts or comparing its compliance services to Rippling’s so long as they do not claim that Rippling lacks a network of 200+ local legal hiring experts around the world or compliance document collection for contractors.

Customer Support Claims

The National Advertising Division (NAD) determined that the comparative claim that Rippling does not offer multi-channel support is not false or misleading.

However, NAD concluded that the unqualified claim, “Deel’s support is in-house, reliable, and faster than Rippling” is not supported and recommended that it be discontinued or modified to make clear the circumstances and times when its support would be faster and avoid conveying the message that Rippling’s customer support is unreliable.

Further, NAD determined that Deel’s claim “Same level of service in every country with centralized communications – Deel ✓ Yes, Rippling X No, as they use partners in some places,” is not supported because there is no evidence about the level of service provided by Rippling in any country. Therefore, NAD recommended that the claim be discontinued.

During the proceeding Deel permanently discontinued and modified certain claims. 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, Deel stated that it will comply with NAD’s decision.

All BBB National Programs case decision summaries can be found in the case decision library. For the full text of NAD, NARB, and CARU decisions, subscribe to the online archive. This press release shall not be used for advertising or promotional purposes.

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