By: Lori T. Williams, Owner/Managing Attorney of Your Legal Resource, PLLC
The Skinnygirl Margarita litigation is back in the news, after one of the Co-Defendants failed to win its motion for summary disposition on June 30th. A lawsuit was filed on September 21, 2011, alleging false advertising against the manufacturers.
The advertising claims that the product was “all natural, preservative-free, and a healthy alternative to other margarita mixes.” Whole Foods pulled the Skinnygirl Margarita from its shelves when they learned that it contained a preservative that can cause cancer. The drink actually contains Sodium Benzoate, a chemical preservative that when mixed with citric acid in the lime juice commonly added to margaritas can be carcinogenic. Soon after Whole Foods stopped selling the product, a class action suit was filed.
Truth in advertising is important for all of us. Do we live up to our own marketing statements? Most of us don’t have to worry about getting sued for health risks, but we can jeopardize our reputation just the same by not honoring our word, or committing other offenses deemed reputation killers:
Top Social Media Reputation Killers for Professionals by Stephanie Sammons
Reputation Killers by Impact! PR
These Tacky Business Moves Are Major Reputation Killers by Jeff Haden
The SBA provides useful information about Truth in Advertising for small businesses: http://www.sba.gov/content/truth-advertising
What are your pet peeves when it comes to truth in marketing or truth in advertising?
