Imported from...

In case you missed it, check out Chrysler's Superbowl ad!

Two Thumbs Up, Chrysler!

Food For American Thought...

This evening, as I skimmed the Hollywood Edition of Vanity Fair, I stumbled upon the 60 Minutes/Vanity Fair Poll. There, on page 110 of the March 2011 issue, I found the following question:

“How often do you check labels of items you are about to purchase to see if you are buying American Products?”  

According to the poll, 39 percent check sometimes, 25 percent always check, 20 percent hardly ever check and 15 percent never check.

For the 15 percent of you that don’t check, I pose the following question. How much time does it take to look at a label? 

Who Loves to Shop?

This is no surprise to my regular readers, I love to shop. Lucky for me, the new Made in the USA Foundation website has a "Shopping" link.

Check it out:

http://www.madeusafdn.org/shopusa.html

P.S.- There is even a "Food & Produce" Section.

Beer and Football

The Superbowl is this weekend. Personally, I am a Ravens fan, so I won’t be celebrating. For the rest of the world, I found a list of Domestic Beers for you to enjoy while watching the big game.  The Top Ten Domestic Beers (According to Melanie Winterwolf) are:

1.     Bud Light.

2.     Natural Ice

3.     Pabst Blue Ribbon

4.     Rolling Rock

5.     Michelob Ultra

6.     Miller High Life

7.     Coors Light

8.     Bud Light Lime

9.     Busch Beer

10. Michelob Honey Lager

For the full article, click follow this link here. 

Cheers!

Just in from the Made In the USA Foundation Offices...

Check out the NEW and IMPROVED Made in the USA Foundation website at www.madeusafdn.org!

While you're on there, make sure to follow the Foundation on Twitter and Facebook.

I Challenge You....

Today, I am not going to hate on anyone. I am not going to give you my opinion on what products to buy. I’m not even going to tell you about any government agencies. Instead, I am asking you to conduct an experiment.

This weekend (Starting Saturday morning through Sunday evening) pay attention to what you buy.  Log all of your purchases. As you log your purchases, note the country of origin.

I plan on doing the same. I’ll report back on Monday. 

Made in the U.S.A. Foundation in the News…Again

Over a decade ago, Joel D. Joseph, General Counsel to Made in the USA Foundation, filed suit against Kwikset Lock Company for labeling their products “Made in the USA” after Kwikset moved its factory from Anaheim, California to Mexicali, Mexico.  Today, the California Supreme Court ruled that consumers of these locks have the right to sue manufacturers under California law for the mislabeled products that they purchased.

My favorite quote from the opinion:

"Simply stated:  labels matter.  The marketing industry is based on the premise that labels matter, that consumers will choose one product over another similar product based on its label and various tangible and intangible qualities they may come to associate with a particular source.”

According to Joseph, “This is a landmark decision.  The California Supreme Court has ruled that labels concerning consumer goods, known as ‘credence products’ could be enforced in court.  When buying ‘credence products’ consumers rely on manufacturers’ representations of hidden qualities, whether the products are kosher, organic or Made in the U.S.A.   This ruling is the first time that highest court of a state has protected the right of consumers to purchase “Made in the USA” and other hidden product qualities.   The Made in the USA Foundation will use this landmark ruling around the country to make sure that manufacturers tell the truth about the country of origin of their products.”

What Can the FTC Do For Me?

Yesterday, I spread the word about a lawsuit filed by the Made in the USA Foundation against Lucky Brand Jeans. For all of you non-legal people out there, the Foundation filed a complaint with the FTC. According to the Foundation, Lucky Brand Jeans was in violation of Federal Trade Act, 15 U.S.C. §§ 45 and 45a. 

As a consumer, you are probably wondering what this means. Basically, deceptive advertising is illegal. Lucky Brand Jeans’ logo says “Born in America.” Considering the jeans are no longer made in America, this is a deceptive practice. Therefore, Lucky Brand Jeans is breaking the law.

The Foundation is asking the FTC for relief. The FTC is the Federal Trade Commission. The FTC is an independent Federal Agency founded in 1914. Congress makes consumer protection laws and the FTC enforces these laws.

If you purchased a pair of Lucky Brand Jeans and were under the impression they are manufactured domestically, contact the Made in the USA Foundation and the FTC at http://www.ftc.gov/ftc/contact.shtm. 

False Advertising: Lucky Brand Jeans

The Shorts Advertised Above Were Made Abroad

The Made in the USA Foundation filed suit with the Federal Trade Commission against Lucky Brand Jeans. According to papers filed with the FTC, Lucky Brand Denim manufactures its products abroad.  However, denim manufacturer advertises its products as “All American.”   This is illegal.

The complaint states:

1.     Products that are made in the U.S.A. are not required by law to include a country of origin designation.

2.     Consumers reasonably believe that the Lucky Brand Jeans that they are purchasing are made in the United States.

3.     Consumers paid more for the Lucky Brand Jeans than “made in Mexico” jeans are worth because they believed that the jeans were made in the United States.

If you have fallen victim to Lucky Brand Denim’s false advertising please contact the FTC at http://www.ftc.gov/ftc/contact.shtm. 

Have Some Wine, Help the Economy

I wouldn’t consider myself a wine connoisseur, but I do enjoy an occasional glass of vino. Last night I sipped on some California red. This led me to wonder, "What is the big fuss over imported wine?"

Turns out I’m not alone. Wine website wineography.com’s Top 10 Wine List, includes 5 wines from the United States.

In Top Wine List

The top wine list shows the top 10 wines in Wineography's system. This list is made up from the ratings in the members' online tasting notes.

Pos.            Wine           

1            Shiraz 2006 [ Greg Norman Estates, Australia ]           

2            Cabernet Franc 2002 [ Peju Province Winery, USA ]           

3            Red 2006 [ Arancio, Italy ]            94.3

4            Cabernet Sauvignon 2003 [ Kuleto Estate, USA ]           

5            Merlot Cabernet Sauvignon Pinotage 2003 [ Kanonkop Wine Estate, South           

6            Grenache 2004 [ Bodegas Alto Moncayo, Spain ]            93.0

7            Barbera 2005 [ Ponte Family Winery, USA ]           

8            Shiraz 2004 [ Wattle Creek Winery, USA ]           

9            Pinot Noir 2003 [ Wild Horse, USA ]           

10            Syrah 2001 [ Agua Dulce Vineyards, USA ]           

Next time you sit down for a glass or two of wine, drink American. Think of it as helping your economy. 

For more information on the Top Wine list, check out http://www.wineography.com/top_wines.htm. 

Proudly Made in Mexico...

The SRX (Proudly Made in Mexico) 

I don’t recall a time during my childhood that at least one of my parents didn’t drive a Cadillac. I remember hearing, “Why buy a Mercedes when you can buy American.”

Fast-forward 20 years.

General Motors, the manufacturer of Cadillac is manufacturing its SRX Luxury Crossover in Mexico. To make matters worse, General Motors allowing consumers to believe that the vehicle was made domestically.

Imagine you are at an auto show. You are walking and see the Cadillac booth. Someone asks you, “Where is this SRX manufactured?”  The odds are, you are going to respond, “In America.” Not the case. The SRX is a product of Mexico.

However, the GM people mislead consumers into believing the SRX is made in America. They do this by taking the Country of Origin stickers off their display cars.

If you ask me, that’s pretty messed up. 

What is this AALA Everyone is Talking About?

General Motors, you are not above the law. 

If you’ve read the news this week, you know that the Made in the USA Foundation is charging General Motors with violating the American Automobile Labeling Act (AALA). To make a long story short, GM decided that the law doesn’t apply to them.  The U.S. automaker stripped auto-show display vehicles of country of origin labels. This way, auto-show consumers would have no idea that the latest GM vehicles were manufactured off-shore.

This brings me to the AALA.  Many consumers are unaware of the AALA, but are surrounded by its benefits on a daily basis. Have you ever noticed the sticker on your car window that says where your car was manufactured? That is because of the AALA. The AALA requires new cars to provide information on the window sticker, including where the car was assembled, the U.S. and other country content, where the engine was made and where the transmission was made.

Regardless of what vehicle you choose to buy, you the consumer should be informed. General Motors stripping labels off of display vehicles denied you of your right to be informed. Not cool.