ASA sends Listerine donkey TV ad to the knacker's yard

A TV ad for Listerine, which featured a toothy animated donkey extolling the virtues of the brand, has been forced off air after being found to have made exaggerated claims about the effectiveness of mouthwash.

The ad for Kenvue-owned brand depicted a woman in a bathroom facing a mirror about to floss her teeth. The donkey appeared behind her in the bath, pulling back the shower curtain and said, “Good on you. Flossing helps but why not add Listerine.”

A picture of the product was then shown and the donkey and on-screen text stated, “Proven to be 5X more effective than floss as reducing plaque”.

Superimposed text stated. “*Germ kill provides sustained plaque reduction above the gumline after a dental cleaning”.

The woman was then shown gargling mouthwash. Then an animated image of the inside of a person’s mouth was displayed. Mouthwash was shown entering the mouth through the teeth and removing bacteria which were represented by green particles. The voiceover continued, “Listerine gets into the nooks. Into the crannies. Fight the good fight with a swish and a zing.”

The woman was then shown with the mouthwash in her mouth, visibly surprised, as her cheeks expanded. Superimposed text stated, “Complete your routine – use alongside brushing and flossing”. The voiceover continued, “When you are taking on plaque, add Listerine.” The donkey appeared behind an image of the product.

Qualifying text said, “Complete your routine – use alongside brushing and flossing”.

However, two complainants, who believed the ad suggested mouthwash as an alternative to flossing was five times more effective, challenged whether the ad was misleading, sparking an Advertising Standards Authority investigation.

In its defence, Kenvue said the claim “proven to be 5x more effective than floss at reducing plaque” was supported by two published studies, and was qualified with text that stated, “*Germ kill provides sustained plaque reduction above the gumline after a dental cleaning”.

This, the company argued, indicated to the viewer that the effect was on the teeth above the gumline and the ad as a whole would have been seen in that context. In contrast, floss or interdental brushes were recommended between the teeth to clean below the gumline before brushing. It insisted the ad did not suggest the product had an effect below the gumline and so did not suggest the product should replace floss, but encouraged people to use mouthwash alongside brushing and flossing.

It stated that, overall, the primary message of the ad was to highlight the effectiveness of Listerine in reducing plaque above the gumline. To provide context as to the extent of that benefit, a comparison versus flossing was provided. That was a specific benefit that complemented, rather than replaced, the use of dental floss.

However, the ASA was having none of it. While acknowledging Kenvue’s comments that the ad made frequent references to the product complementing floss, rather than replacing it, some of those examples, such as the woman shown flossing and the floss shown side by side with Listerine, were fleeting, or in the case of the bottle of Listerine stating “use alongside brushing and flossing” not clearly legible, and therefore they could have been easily missed by viewers.

The watchdog added that the focus of the ad was on Listerine being five times more effective than floss in removing plaque and was likely to be understood by viewers as a substitute for floss, rather than as complementary.

It considered the ad was ambiguous, but that it was overall likely to be seen as presenting rinsing with Listerine as a superior replacement for flossing.

Concluding that it misleadingly exaggerated the product’s performance and therefore breached the Code, the ASA ruled the ad must not be broadcast again in the form complained of and warned Kenvue over future activity.

TOPICS:ad regulation advertising ASA