The items in this year’s unofficial swag bag for Oscar nominees (official versus unofficial was a whole alleged misleading advertising issue in and of itself) may not be as provocative as the sex toys and breast enhancements in last year’s offering but they include products from companies whose questionable marketing may not win any awards. Here are five:
SweetCheeks Cellulite Massage Mats: As the debate over body image in Hollywood rages on, several Oscar nominees will receive a product that promises to make their backside look better. But for how long is the question. On its FAQ page SweetCheeks admits that its massage mats may only reduce the appearance of cellulite for “hours.” Oh, and surprise, diet and exercise may also play a role.ChapStick Total Hydration Moisture + Tint: A class-action lawsuit against ChapStick takes aim at alleged cracks in the company’s claims that certain Total Hydration lip balms are 100 percent natural and clinically proven to provide “healthier,” “more youthful looking lips.” The lawsuit alleges that the products actually contain synthetic ingredients and that ChapStick doesn’t have competent or reliable studies to back up its “clinically proven” claims. In other words, the suit contends the claims are science fiction.Haze Dual V3 Vaporizer: On its website Haze Technologies boasts that it carries the “best portable vaporizers.” But vaporizers — aka e-cigarettes — cannot be smoked from Hollywood to Bar Harbor. In fact, dozens of towns, cities, and states across the country have banned their use in public areas. And that’s just one of several issues regarding the marketing of e-cigs.Hydroxycut Platinum: Circling back to the issue of body image in Hollywood, the swag bag also includes a weight-loss supplement from Hydroxycut, a company that not so long ago agreed to pay $14 million to settle a spate of class-action lawsuits alleging that it misrepresented supplements as safe and effective. The lawsuits followed an FDA recall of Hydroxycut products that cited a potential risk of severe liver injury.MuscleTech Nitro-Tech Crunch Bars: MuscleTech, a sister brand of Hydroxycut under the corporate umbrella of Iovate Health Sciences, has also faced class-action scrutiny in recent years. After one of the lawsuits alleged that the company misrepresented protein amounts in various products including energy bars by engaging in a practice known as “protein spiking,” it agreed to refund consumers up to $300 per household.
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