Ad Watchdog TINA.org Reports Gillette’s “Made in Boston” Campaign to the FTC

Consumer watchdog truthinadvertising.org (TINA.org) said on January 23, 2018, that it had reported Gillette to the Federal Trade Commission over a national ad campaign built around the company’s Boston factory and “Made in Boston” heritage.

What TINA.org found

• Based on origin information on packaging, only a couple of Gillette’s blades were made in the USA. Most blades, razors and other products TINA.org bought were wholly or partly made abroad.
• Even the Boston-made blades came with handles made in Poland and Mexico, the group said.
• Gillette TV ads centered on the Boston factory aired more than 2,000 times nationally in December 2017, and a related YouTube video had more than 500,000 views.

The legal standard

TINA.org noted that under the FTC standard, a product marketed with an unqualified Made in USA claim must be “all or virtually all” made in the USA, whether the claim is express, such as “Made in Boston,” or implied through USA symbols and references to USA locations.

“Because patriotism sells, if Gillette is permitted to proceed with its false and deceptive Made in the USA marketing campaign, not only will consumers who prefer American-made products continue to be misled, honest companies that follow the law will also lose out,” said Executive Director Bonnie Patten. TINA.org said it had urged the FTC to take action.

FAQ

What did TINA.org allege?

That Gillette’s Made in Boston campaign implied USA origin for products that were largely made abroad.

Who filed the complaint?

TINA.org, a nonprofit ad watchdog, which reported the matter to the FTC.

Can a city name be a Made in USA claim?

Yes. The FTC says references to USA locations can imply USA origin.