MyPillow Deceptively Marketed According to Ad Watchdog

Company CEO Pledges to Make Corrections

MADISON, CONN., February 23, 2016 – An investigation conducted by consumer advocacy organization, truthinadvertising.org (TINA.org), has revealed that Minnesota-based MyPillow Inc. has been using unsubstantiated health claims to deceptively market its pillows to consumers nationwide. After receiving a warning letter from the ad watchdog, the company removed a majority of the problematic marketing materials and pledged to correct the remaining unsubstantiated health claims cited by TINA.org.

“While MyPillow is doing the right thing by taking down these unproven health claims, they never should have been there in the first place. I’m certain that there were consumers who relied on these deceptive marketing claims in making their purchases,” said TINA.org Executive Director Bonnie Patten.

MyPillow has sold more than 4 million pillows in the U.S. and is well known for its nationally broadcast ads and infomercials featuring self-proclaimed “sleep expert” CEO Mike Lindell pitching the pricey foam-filled pillows for a variety of disorders, including, for example, insomnia, sleep apnea, and restless leg syndrome. Testimonials posted on the website and on the company’s social media platforms also claimed that MyPillow can alleviate symptoms of anxiety, migraines, acid reflux, menopause, multiple sclerosis, cerebral palsy and post-traumatic stress disorder, among other conditions.

However, TINA.org’s investigation found that the company does not have the substantiation required by law to make such health claims. TINA.org sent a warning letter to MyPillow requesting the company remove the deceptive claims or face a Federal Trade Commission complaint. Lindell responded by removing some materials immediately and has pledged to scrub the remaining deceptive health claims from the website and other platforms. TINA.org will continue to monitor the company’s progress.