HELENE CURTIS' DEGREE "BODY HEAT ACTIVATED" CLAIMS SUBSTANTIATED
This article was originally published in The Tan Sheet
Executive Summary
HELENE CURTIS' DEGREE "BODY HEAT ACTIVATED" CLAIMS SUBSTANTIATED by the company, the National Advertising Division (NAD) of the Council of Better Business Bureaus stated in a Nov. 24 Case Report. Following review of two clinical studies provided by Helene Curtis, the watchdog organization concluded that "there was sufficient evidence in the materials submitted by the advertiser to support its claim" that the antiperspirant and fragrance actions of Degree antiperspirant/deodorant are triggered by an increase in body temperature. Helene Curtis launched Degree in January 1990. NAD's review focused on print advertising for Degree, which came to the group's attention through its routine monitoring program. NAD initiated the inquiry with a Sept. 9 letter to Helene Curtis. The ad agency of record for Degree is Saatchi & Saatchi, New York. NAD also questioned the exclusivity of Helene Curtis' claim that "only Degree has the body-heat activated formula that releases extra protection when you need it most." Helene Curtis has agreed to remove the word "only" from the claim. The firm informed NAD that, while it believes "Degree's formula to be unique," it will voluntarily modify its claim "in response to the recent entry of a product, which has a different formula but uses the same method of delivery," NAD said. Commenting on NAD's conclusions, Helene Curtis stated that the firm "is pleased that the NAD has determined that our claims for Degree antiperspirant/deodorant have been substantiated."