Jury Awards Gillette $2.5 Million in False Advertising Suit Against Optiva Corp.NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 16, 1999-- A Federal Court jury today awarded The Gillette Company and its subsidiary Braun Braun , Eva 1912-1945. German lover and later wife of Adolf Hitler. They began living together in 1936, but the liaison was kept secret, and she was never seen in public with him. They were married hours before their double suicide on April 30, 1945. GmbH GmbH Gesellschaft mit Beschränkter Haftung (German: limited liability company; business entity) $2.5 million in damages against Optiva Corp., maker of the Sonicare electric toothbrush toothbrush, n a handheld device with an arrangement of bristles at one end, and a handle designed to reach effectively all exposed surfaces of the teeth and gingiva. , after it found Optiva liable for false advertising. The jury found Optiva liable for 23 advertising claims and four advertisements that claimed superiority for Sonicare over the Braun Oral-B Plaque plaque (plak) 1. any patch or flat area. 2. a superficial, solid, elevated skin lesion. attachment plaques Remover, the world's number one power-assisted toothbrush. The advertisements ran in 1998 in consumer magazines including TIME, U.S. News & World Report U.S. News & World Report Weekly newsmagazine published in Washington, D.C. U.S. News was founded in 1933 by David Lawrence (1888–1973) to cover important domestic events; he founded World Report in 1945 to treat world news. The two magazines were merged in 1948. , and People, and in several dental journals. "The jury's verdict upholds the principle of fair competition and accurate consumer information, and compensates Gillette and Braun for the damages resulting from Optiva's false advertising," said Pirjo Valiaho, Vice President-Marketing, Braun and Oral-B. Optiva's misleading statements included the claims that the Braun Oral-B Plaque Remover causes disease and is damaging to teeth and gums and that the Sonicare brush is significantly more gentle on gums than Braun Oral-B Plaque Removers. During the trial, Braun executives testified that Optiva's false advertising negatively impacted sales of Braun Oral-B Plaque Removers to consumers and dental offices. Braun and Oral-B Laboratories, both subsidiaries of The Gillette Company, have worked together for more than a decade to develop and market leading power-assisted oral care appliances. The combination of Braun's expertise in high quality electric appliances and Oral-B's dental care expertise has created the world's best-selling best·sell·er also best seller n. A product, such as a book, that is among those sold in the largest numbers. best plaque remover brand. Braun Oral-B is the power-assisted brand most recommended by dental professionals worldwide. Braun Inc., the U.S. affiliate of Braun AG of Germany, is headquartered in Woburn, MA. |
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