Earworm Kars4Kids jingle yanked from California airwaves for false advertising
The Guardian • • nation
Key Points:
- A California state judge ruled that Kars4Kids' long-running jingle constitutes false advertising, leading to a ban on its current form of broadcast in the state.
- The lawsuit was filed by Bruce Puterbaugh, who donated a nonfunctional car believing the charity aided underprivileged children nationwide, only to discover funds primarily support Oorah, a Jewish nonprofit focused on programs in the tri-state area and Israel.
- Kars4Kids channels about $45 million annually to Oorah, with roughly 30,000 of 120,000 donated cars nationwide coming from California, though the exact timeframe is unclear.
- The court ordered Kars4Kids to pay $250 in restitution and mandated that future ads in California disclose the charity’s religious ties and geographic focus, prohibiting images of young children.
- The ruling emphasized that concealing the charity’s true focus creates an unfair advantage over local California charities that are transparent about their missions.