[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 208 (Friday, October 27, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 55031-55033]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-26680]



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FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION

[File No. 942-3172]


BBDO Worldwide, Inc.; Consent Agreement with Analysis To Aid 
Public Comment

AGENCY: Federal Trade Commission.

ACTION: Consent agreement.

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SUMMARY: In settlement of alleged violations of federal law prohibiting 
unfair acts and practices and unfair methods of competition, this 
consent agreement, accepted subject to final Commission approval, 
would, among other things, prohibit a New York City-based advertising 
firm from misrepresenting the amount of fat, calories, or cholesterol 
in any frozen yogurt, any frozen sorbet, and most ice cream products. 
The alleged violations stem from the firm's role in developing certain 
advertisements for Haagen-Dazs frozen yogurt products.

DATES: Comments must be received before December 26, 1995.

ADDRESSES: Comments should be directed to: FTC/Office of the Secretary, 
Room 159, 6th St. and Pa. Ave., N.W., Washington, DC 20580.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Anne V. Maher, Bureau of Consumer Protection, Federal Trade Commission, 
S-4002, 6th Street & Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 205680. 
(202) 326-2987).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Pursuant to Section 6(f) of the Federal 
Trade Commission Act, 38 Stat. 721, 15 U.S.C. 46 and Section 2.34 of 
the Commission's Rules of Practice (16 CFR 2.34), notice is hereby 
given that the following consent agreement containing a consent order 
to cease and desist, having been filed with and accepted, subject to 
final approval, by the Commission, has been placed on the public record 
for a period of sixty (60) days. Public comment is invited. Such 
comments of views will be considered by the Commission and will be 
available for inspection and copying at its principal office in 
accordance with Section 4.9(b)(6) (ii) of the Commission's Rules of 
Practice (16 CFR 4.9(b)(6)(ii)).
    The Federal Trade Commission, having initiated an investigation of 
certain acts and practices of BBDO Worldwide, Inc., a corporation, 
hereinafter sometimes referred to as proposed respondent, and it now 
appears that proposed respondent is willing to enter into an agreement 
containing an Order to cease and desist from the use of the acts and 
practices being investigated,
    It is hereby agreed by and between BBDO Worldwide, Inc., by its 
duly authorized officer, and its attorney, and counsel for the Federal 
Trade Commission that:
    1. Proposed respondent BBDO Worldwide, Inc. is a corporation 
organized, existing and doing business under and by virtue of the laws 
of the State of New York, with its office and principal place of 
business located at 1285 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10019.
    2. Proposed respondent admits all the jurisdictional facts set 
forth in the draft compliant attached hereto.
    3. Proposed respondent waives:
    (a) Any further procedural steps;
    (b) The requirement that the Commission's decision contain a 
statement of findings of fact and conclusions of law; and
    (c) All rights to seek judicial review or otherwise to challenge or 
contest the validity of the Order entered pursuant to this agreement.
    4. This agreement shall not become part of the public record of the 
proceeding unless and until it is accepted by the Commission. If this 
agreement is accepted by the Commission, it, together with the draft of 
complaint contemplated thereby, will be placed on the public record for 
a period of sixty (60) days and information in respect thereto publicly 
released. The Commission thereafter may either withdraw its acceptance 
of this agreement and so notify the proposed respondent, in which event 
it will take such action as it may consider appropriate, or issue and 
serve its compliant (in such form as the circumstances may require) and 
decision, in disposition of the proceeding.
    5. This agreement is for settlement purposes only and does not 
constitute an admission by proposed respondent that the law has been 
violated as alleged in the draft of complaint here attached, or that 
the facts as alleged in the draft complaint, other than jurisdictional 
facts, are true.
    6. The agreement contemplates that, if it is accepted by the 
Commission, and if such acceptance is not subsequently withdrawn by the 
Commission pursuant to the provisions of Section 2.34 of the 
Commission's Rules, the Commission may, without further notice to 
proposed respondent, (1) issue its complaint corresponding in form and 
substance with the draft of complaint here attached and its decision 
containing the following Order to cease and desist in disposition of 
the proceeding; and (2) make information public in respect thereto. 
When so entered, the Order to cease and desist shall have the same 
force and effect and may be altered, modified or set aside in the same 
manner and within the same time provided by statute for other Orders. 
The Order shall become final upon service. Delivery by the U.S. Postal 
Service of the complaint and decision containing the agreed-to Order to 
proposed respondent's address as stated in this agreement shall 
constitute service. Proposed respondent waives any rights it may have 
to any other manner of service. The complaint may be used in construing 
the terms of the Order, and no agreement, understanding, 
representation, or interpretation not contained in the Order or in the 
agreement may be used to vary or contradict the terms of the Order.
    7. Proposed respondent has read the proposed complaint and Order 
contemplated hereby. Proposed respondent understands that once the 
Order has been issued, it will be required to file one or more 
compliance reports showing that it has fully complied with the Order. 
Proposed respondent further understands that it may be liable for civil 
penalties in the amount provided by law for each violation of the Order 
after it becomes final.

Order

I

    It is ordered that respondent BBDO Worldwide, Inc., a corporation, 
its successors and assigns, and its officers, agents, representatives 
and employees, directly or through any corporation, subsidiary, 
division or other device, in connection with the manufacturing, 
labeling, advertising, promotion, offering for sale, sale, or 
distribution of any frozen yogurt, frozen sorbet or ice cream product 
(excluding all other food or confection products in which ice cream is 
an ingredient comprising less than fifty percent of the total weight of 
the involved product) in or affecting commerce, as ``commerce'' is 
defined in the Federal Trade Commission Act, do forthwith cease and 
desist from misrepresenting, in any manner, directly or by implication, 
through numerical or descriptive terms or any other means, the 
existence or amount of fat, saturated fat, cholesterol or calories in 
any such product. If any 

[[Page 55032]]
representation covered by this Part either directly or by implication 
conveys any nutrient content claim defined (for purposes of labeling) 
by any regulation promulgated by the Food and Drug Administration, 
compliance with this Part shall be governed by the qualifying amount 
for such defined claim as set forth in that regulation.

II

    Nothing in this Order shall prohibit respondent from making any 
representation that is specifically permitted in labeling for any 
frozen yogurt, frozen sorbet or ice cream by regulations promulgated by 
the Food and Drug Administration pursuant to the Nutrition Labeling and 
Education Act of 1990.

III

    It is further ordered that for three (3) years after the last date 
of dissemination of any representation covered by this Order, 
respondent, or its successors and assigns, shall maintain and upon 
request make available to the Federal Trade Commission for inspection 
and copying:
    1. All materials that were relied upon in disseminating such 
representation; and
    2. All tests, reports, studies, surveys, demonstrations, or other 
evidence in its possession or control that contradict, qualify, or call 
into question such representation, or the basis relied upon for such 
representation, including complaints from consumers.

IV

    It is further ordered that respondent shall notify the Commission 
at least thirty (30) days prior to any proposed change in the 
respondent such as dissolution, assignment or sale resulting in the 
emergence of a successor corporation, the creation or dissolution of 
subsidiaries, or any other change in the respondent which may affect 
compliance obligations arising out of this Order.

V

    It is further ordered that respondent shall, within thirty (30) 
days after service of this Order, distribute a copy of this Order to 
each of its operating divisions and to each of its officers, agents, 
representatives, or employees engaged in the preparation or placement 
of advertisements or other materials covered by this Order.

VI

    This Order will terminate twenty (20) years from the date of its 
issuance, or twenty years from the most recent date that the United 
States or the Federal Trade Commission files a complaint (with or 
without an accompanying consent decree) in federal court alleging any 
violation of the Order, whichever comes later; provided, however, that 
the filing of such a complaint will not effect the duration of:
    A. Any paragraph in this Order that terminates in less than twenty 
years;
    B. This Order's application to any respondent that is not named as 
a defendant in such complaint; and
    C. This Order if such complaint is filed after the Order has 
terminated pursuant to this paragraph.
    Provided further, that if such complaint is dismissed or a federal 
court rules that the respondent did not violate any provision of the 
Order, and the dismissal or ruling is either not appealed or upheld on 
appeal, then the Order will terminate according to this paragraph as 
though the complaint was never filed, except that the Order will not 
terminate between the date such complaint is filed and the later of the 
deadline for appealing such dismissal or ruling and the date such 
dismissal or ruling is upheld on appeal.

VII

    It is further ordered that respondent shall, within sixty (60) days 
after service of this Order, and at such other times as the Commission 
may require, file with the Commission a report, in writing, setting 
forth in detail the manner and form in which it has complied with this 
Order.

Analysis of Proposed Consent Order To Aid Public Comment

    The Federal Trade Commission has accepted an agreement, subject to 
final approval, to a proposed consent order form BBDO Worldwide, Inc. 
(``BBDO'').
    The proposed consent order has been placed on the public record for 
sixty (60) days for reception of comments by interested persons. 
Comments received during this period will become part of the public 
record. After sixty days, the Commission will again review the 
agreement and the comments received and will decide whether it should 
withdraw from the agreement or make final the agreement's proposed 
order.
    This matter concerns advertising claims made by BBDO, an 
advertising agency, for Haagen-Dazs frozen yogurts. A separate consent 
agreement with Haagen-Dazs relating to the same advertisements was 
given final approval by the Commission on June 2, 1995.
    The Commission's complaint in this matter charges BBDO with 
engaging in unfair or deceptive practices in connection with the 
advertising of Haagen-Dazs frozen yogurt products, which are sold in 
both carton and bar forms.
    According to the complaint, BBDO falsely represented that the 
frozen yogurt is 98 percent fat free and low fat. The complaint also 
alleges that BBDO falsely represented that the frozen yogurt bars 
contain one gram of fat per serving and are low fat.
    The complaint further alleges that BBDO falsely represented that 
the frozen yogurt bars contain 100 calories per serving. Finally, the 
complaint alleges that BBDO knew or should have know that these claims 
were false and misleading.
    The consent order contains provisions designed to remedy the 
violations charged and to prevent BBDO from engaging in similar 
deceptive and unfair acts and practices in the future.
    Part I of the order prohibits BBDO from misrepresenting the 
existence or amount of fat, saturated fat, cholesterol or calories in 
any frozen yogurt, frozen sorbet or ice cream product (excluding all 
other food or confection products in which ice cream is an ingredient 
comprising less than fifty percent of the total weight of the involved 
product). Part I also requires that any representation covered by the 
Part that conveys a nutrient content claim defined for labeling by any 
regulation of the Food and Drug Administration (``FDA'') must comply 
with the qualifying amount set forth in that regulation.
    Part II of the order provides that representations that would be 
specifically permitted in food labeling, under regulations issued by 
the FDA pursuant to the Nutrition Labeling and Education Act of 1990, 
are not prohibited by the order.
    Part III of the order requires BBDO to maintain copies of all 
materials relied upon in making any representation covered by the 
order.
    Part IV of the order requires BBDO to notify the Commission of any 
changes in corporate structure that might affect compliance with the 
order.
    Part V of the order requires BBDO to distribute copies of the order 
to its operating divisions and to various officers, agents and 
representatives of BBDO.
    Part VI of the order is a ``sunset'' provision, dictating that the 
order will terminate twenty years from the date it is issued or twenty 
years after a complaint is filed in federal court, by either the United 
States or the FTC, alleging any violation of the order.
    Part VII of the order requires BBDO to file with the Commission one 
or more 

[[Page 55033]]
reports detailing compliance with the order.
    The purpose of this analysis is to facilitate public comment on the 
proposed order, and it is not intended to constitute an official 
interpretation of the agreement and proposed order, or to modify any of 
their terms.
Donald S. Clark,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 95-26680 Filed 10-26-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6750-01-M