Advertising Claim Substantiation

Advertising claim substantiation validates marketing claims using objective evidence. Evidence includes consumer perception research, surveys, and statistical analysis. Advertising Claims are monitored by regulatory agencies, including the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), National Advertising Division (NAD), and other industry bodies, which protect consumers by requiring advertising claims be truthful and supported by evidence. Organizations conduct advertising claim substantiation to ensure compliance, reduce regulatory risk, and support marketing and advertising strategies.

IMS conducts defensible claim substantiation research for advertising claims and designs research to meet your objectives. Explore how we conduct claim substantiation research here.

Companies across industries that use claims in their marketing, whether for products or services, must substantiate them. Marketing leaders, legal counsel, and regulatory teams rely on advertising claim substantiation research when launching new products, making comparative claims, or responding to regulatory inquiries or competitive challenges. Advertising claim substantiation is especially important when claims involve product performance, superiority, consumer preference, or measurable outcomes that require objective validation. Defending claims is costly and time-consuming; conducting claims research helps protect against the risks of false advertising litigation or regulatory challenges later.

Explore instances in the news of how advertising claim substantiation research is used here.

Superiority claims (“better than competitors”), performance claims (“works faster”), preference claims (“preferred by consumers”), and comparative advertising claims require substantiation. Sensory (smells like, tastes like) and implied claims in visual communications must also be substantiated. Consumer survey experts design studies to measure how consumers interpret messaging and whether claims made are supported by data. IMS Legal Strategies designs and executes sensory research and consumer surveys that ensure that regulatory and evidentiary standards are met.

Advertising claim substantiation research is used by consumer protection agencies and dispute-resolution bodies. IMS Legal Strategies has been retained by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the National Advertising Division (NAD), international regulatory authorities, and courts. Consumer survey claim substantiation research is used in competitive disputes, arbitration, and regulatory reviews. Properly conducted market research helps organizations demonstrate compliance and respond to challenges from regulators, competitors, and industry oversight bodies.

Explore how advertising claim substantiation helps resolve disputes here.

Advertising claim substantiation studies are conducted using established research methodologies, including consumer surveys, experimental design, and statistical analysis. Claim substantiation surveys for advertising purposes must adhere to different standards and guidelines than other types of surveys. These standards address issues such as which consumers to interview, how products are sourced, prepared, and consumed, how questions are phrased, how data are analyzed, and how results are reported.. IMS experts and research directors oversee study design, audience recruitment, data collection, and reporting to ensure accuracy and reliability.

Research is conducted online and in person to ensure methodological consistency, data integrity, and defensible results. This approach allows organizations to rely on credible evidence to support advertising claims and strategic marketing decisions. Explore how we conduct reliable sensory research here.

The cost and time required for advertising claim substantiation studies depend on complexity, target audience, and research methodology. Where online substantiation studies can be conducted more quickly, sensory studies may require entirely different methodology and location. Similarly, some organizational objectives require complex or multi-market studies, which necessitate longer measurement periods. IMS manages our advertising claim substantiation surveys in a highly interactive way, delivering actionable recommendations and reports, along with key takeaways and conversations, to help your team absorb the learnings. Our reports are trial-ready and can be shared with challengers or submitted to the NAD, federal court, or other regulatory agencies.

Contact IMS today to discuss your advertising claim substantiation needs.