Pet Food’s “Human Grade” Implied Claims Challenged

Pet food is big business, which means competitors sometimes challenge each other’s claims at the National Advertising Division (NAD).

In this case, a competitor challenged claims in three video ads that imply their dog food is human grade. Sounds pretty gross to me, but let’s see what we can learn.

From NAD case. “In a social media advertisement, a dog owner states “We eat fresh, real food as much as possible at home, so of course, we want the same for Benji. That’s why we give him … from the Kitchen Home Cooked Chicken Recipe” and … dog food is “made with the same level of quality I want in my own food. NAD determined that these claims convey a message that … dog food is human grade and recommended … discontinue the claims as they appear in the Benji video.”

Asa Comments: Even seemingly minor pieces of marketing, such as a social ad, can attract competitor challenge issues. Ensure all social media creators and agencies understand the softer nuances of compliance, as something as innocuous as this can lead to potential issues.

NAD also reviewed a video showing food being prepared in a home kitchen, followed by the dog food being served to a dog. NAD determined the ad emphasizes freshness and simple ingredients, rather than suggesting the product is human-grade. The dog is shown receiving its own meal from a package of … taken from the refrigerator, which reinforces that message. This demonstrates the blurry line that makes an ad “okay.”

Read the NAD case here.