MyPillow

TINA.org investigated My Pillow, a Minnesota company that has sold millions of foam-filled bed pillows across the country, and found that the company was making deceptive and unsubstantiated disease-treatment claims in its marketing, and later, was airing television commercials that deceptively promoted a “clinical sleep study” and falsely claimed the study, which had several material flaws, proved the company’s pillows provided several health benefits. MyPillow also deceptively advertised a buy-one-get-one-free (BOGO) sale on its pillows by inflating the “regular” price of the products.

Highlights

Sent warning letter to company
Provided findings to CA district attorneys
CA district attorneys sued company resulting in $1 million+ Stipulated Judgment
Filed complaint with CA district attorneys after company violated Stipulated Judgment
CA district attorneys sued company again resulting in $100,000 Stipulated Judgment

MyPillow health claims compilation

Timeline

2019

October 23

A Stipulated Final Judgment is entered in the most recent lawsuit filed by California district attorneys against MyPillow that requires the company to pay $100,000 in civil penalties.

CA v MyPillow – Stipulated Final Order and Judgment

October 2

California district attorneys file a complaint in California state court against MyPillow for continuing to disseminate false and misleading advertisements for its bed pillows by, among other things, inaccurately portraying the sole “study” upon which the company’s marketing claims were purportedly based.

People of California v. My Pillow – Complaint

April 23

TINA.org sends a complaint letter to the California district attorneys who filed the 2016 lawsuit against MyPillow regarding the company’s violation of the 2016 Stipulated Judgment

Letter to CA re:MyPillow violations

2018

November

MyPillow starts airing television commercials that deceptively promote a “clinical sleep study” and misleadingly using the “study” as substantiation for a number of deceptive claims about the pillows’ benefits, in violation of the 2016 order entered in the lawsuit filed against MyPillow by a group of California district attorneys.

2016

November 15

TINA.org sends a letter to National Sleep Foundation notifying it of MyPillow’s continued deceptive use of the Foundation’s logo, in violation of federal and state law.

Letter from TINA.org to NSF re:MyPillow

October 31

A state court judge signs the agreement between MyPillow and the California district attorneys and it becomes a final order.

Stipulated Final Judgment

October 26

A group of California district attorneys, to whom TINA.org provided its investigation findings, files a lawsuit against MyPillow for, among other things, making unsubstantiated health claims about its pillows. The lawsuit results in an agreement between the company and state officials that requires MyPillow to pay $995,000 in civil penalties, give $100,000 to homeless and domestic violence shelters in California, refrain from, among other things, making unsubstantiated health claims and false representations about the pillows’ benefits, and stop promoting its product as the “official pillow” of the National Sleep Foundation.

MyPillow Complaint

September 12

TINA.org reports on the company’s deceptive BOGO offer.

February 8-16

TINA.org sends several emails to MyPillow in response to phone calls received from MyPillow’s CEO, as well as to follow-up on the initial warning letter: February 8, February 9, February 12, February 16.

2.8.16 Email to M. Lindell

2.11.16 Email to M. Lindell

2.12.16 Email to M. Lindell

2.16.16 Email to M. Lindell

February 1

TINA.org sends a warning letter to MyPillow alerting it to the numerous unsubstantiated health claims and requesting that the company immediately remedy the deceptive marketing. TINA.org’s warning letter sparks changes to MyPillow’s website.