California Judge Pulls Kars4Kids Ads, Orders 30-Day Fix Over $45 Million Oorah Funding
Updated
Updated · The Guardian · May 15
California Judge Pulls Kars4Kids Ads, Orders 30-Day Fix Over $45 Million Oorah Funding
4 articles · Updated · The Guardian · May 15
$250 in restitution and a 30-day deadline were imposed after an Orange County judge ruled Kars4Kids’ California ads falsely suggested donations broadly helped needy children.
The court said the longtime jingle concealed the charity’s primary religious and geographic focus: Kars4Kids channels about $45 million a year to Oorah, a Jewish nonprofit serving the tri-state area and Israel.
Bruce Puterbaugh sued in 2021 after donating a nonfunctional 2001 Volvo valued at $250, saying he believed the charity aided underprivileged children across the US.
Future California ads must disclose Kars4Kids’ religious affiliation and location, and cannot use images of prepubescent children because some Oorah programs support 17- and 18-year-olds.
The ruling hits a major donor base for the charity: roughly 30,000 of 120,000 cars donated nationwide came from California, according to court documents.
After its jingle was banned in California, what's next for Kars4Kids' nationwide advertising?
Will the Kars4Kids ruling force other major charities to become more honest in their ads?
Why was a charity that spent more on ads than programs named one of America's worst?