NARB PANEL Report # 150 / Castrol GTX (Summary)

(04/16/2009)
Appeal of the NAD Final Decision Regarding Advertising for
BP Lubricants' Castrol GTX Brand Motor Oil

Pennzoil-Quaker State Company challenged BP America Inc’s superiority claims. The challenged advertisements that made claims about Castrol GTX motor oil, including “Superior Sludge Protection. 57% better than the leading 5W-30. Tests prove it” and “Superior Sludge Protection Among Leading Oils* [*In 5W-30 and 10W-30 grades].”

NAD found that the information submitted by BP America did not provide a reasonable basis to support its unqualified claims that Castrol GTX provided “superior sludge protection” and was “57% better” than the leading competitive oil. NAD also found that BP America did not provide a reasonable basis to support its claim that Castrol GTX passed “the industry’s toughest sludge standard.” NAD further found that the challenged advertisements reasonably implied that Castrol, because of its superior sludge protection capacity, can provide longer engine life than its competitors.

NAD recommends that BP America discontinue its “superior sludge protection” and “57% better” claims, or any other sludge superiority claims based on the submitted M271 tests. The panel also recommends that BP America discontinue its claims that Castrol GTX passed the “industry’s toughest sludge standard.”

Given the amount of time that has passed since the initiation of this challenge, as well as the significant deficiencies in the substantiation offered in support of the claims, the panel hopes that BP America will promptly discontinue the challenged advertising claims in all media.


Board Members for Panel #150

Dr. Jan LeBlanc Wicks (chair)
Professor & Graduate Coordinator
University of Arkansas

Beau Fraser
Managing Director
The Gate Worldwide

Amy Fuller
Group Executive
MasterCard Worldwide

Bill Stabile
Senior Director, Brand & Marketing Communications
Siemens Corporation