New York, N.Y. October 3, 2001 - CARU announces its support of Trendmasters' efforts to improve its advertising for Rumble Robots™ via consultation with CARU and through the self- regulatory process. Rumble Robots' marketing scheme is a novel one. The accessories that enable the robots to operate at the highest performance levels, as depicted in commercials, are power or upgrade cards, which are randomly inserted in packs that are sold separately. The highest level cards are not that easy to obtain. CARU expressed concerns that the manner in which these upgrade cards can be acquired must be clearly disclosed to children so that they will not think they can simply go into a store and buy these accessories in the same way they customarily purchase any toy accessory.

CARU also expressed concerns that the performance level of the robot that is obtained in the standard package sold to children must be depicted in commercials showing performance capabilities of the toy. The original commercials showed only the highest level of performance that could be achieved by the toy.

Trendmasters has assured CARU that the initial television advertising for Rumble Robots ended its flight and will not appear again.

Trendmasters is in the process of modifying advertising and packaging. Among the changes, Trendmasters will describe the high level cards as "rare" and will demonstrate the performance level of the robot contained in the standard package.

CARU is pleased that Trendmasters has agreed to modify its advertising and packaging. This will help eliminate potential confusion over the nature of the operation of the toy and the means of obtaining accessories.

CARU's inquiry was conducted under NAD/NARB/CARU Procedures for Voluntary Self-Regulation of National Advertising. Details of the inquiry, CARU's decision and the advertiser's response will be included in the next NAD/CARU Case Report. Members of the press who wish to see a copy of the decision now should email CARU.

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The National Advertising Review Council (NARC) was formed in 1971 by the Association of National Advertisers, Inc. (ANA), the American Association of Advertising Agencies, Inc. (AAAA), the American Advertising Federation, Inc. (AAF), and the Council of Better Business Bureaus, Inc. (CBBB). Its purpose is to foster truth and accuracy in national advertising through voluntary self-regulation. NARC is the body that establishes the policies and procedures for the CBBB's National Advertising Division (NAD), The Children's Advertising Review Unit (CARU), and the National Advertising Review Board (NARB).

NAD and CARU are the investigative arms of the advertising industry's voluntary self-regulation program. Their casework results from competitive challenges from other advertisers, and also from self-monitoring traditional and new media, including the Internet. The National Advertising Review Board (NARB), the appeals body, is a peer group from which ad-hoc panels are selected to adjudicate those cases that are not resolved at the NAD/CARU level. This unique, self-regulatory system is funded entirely by the business community; CARU is financed by the children's advertising industry, while NAD/NARB's sole source of funding is derived from membership fees paid to the Council of Better Business Bureaus.