Nissan Settles Deceptive Advertising Claim

Nissan Motor Co. and ad agency TBWA Worldwide Inc. have settled a federal complaint that they misled viewers in 2011 with a television ad that showed a Nissan Frontier pickup truck zooming up a steep hill to push a stranded dune buggy to the top.

Actually, both vehicles were pulled up by hidden cables. The Federal Trade Commission said Nissan went too far in the 30-second spot by inferring that its truck was capable of the maneuver, warning that advertisers can't use special effects to misrepresent what a product can do.

The FTC settlement prohibits Nissan and TBWA from using misleading demonstrations in future truck ads. Neither company will pay a fine.

The settlement comes as Nissan is airing an ad for its Rogue SUV, in which a woman catapults the vehicle onto the top of a train to avoid a traffic jam. In that spot, a disclaimer says, "Cars can't jump on trains."