Designation:E1958−12StandardGuideforSensoryClaimSubstantiation1ThisstandardisissuedunderthefixeddesignationE1958;thenumberimmediatelyfollowingthedesignationindicatestheyearoforiginaladoptionor,inthecaseofrevision,theyearoflastrevision.Anumberinparenthesesindicatestheyearoflastreapproval.Asuperscriptepsilon(´)indicatesaneditorialchangesincethelastrevisionorreapproval.INTRODUCTIONFormatsorstandardsfortestingrelatedtoclaimsubstantiationcannotbeconsideredwithoutaframeofreferenceofwherethatformatorstandardwouldfitwithinthelegalframeworkthatsurroundsthetopic.Testsareperformedforthreebasicreasons:(1)ComparisonofProducts—Determineshowoneproductcomparestoanother,usuallyacompetitororearlierversionofitself.(2)SubstantiationofClaims—Enablesmarketingpersonneltousepositivereferencesthroughadvertisingorpackaging,orboth,inthepresentationoftheproducttotheconsumer.(3)TestPerformance—Ascertainsandestablishesthetestedproductperformancewithinthescopeofitsintendeduse.Compellingandaggressiveclaimsaresuretobescrutinizedcloselybycompetitivefirms,andifinconsistenciesarefoundthroughcompetitivetestdata,theclaimscouldbechallengedinoneormoreofthefollowingvenues:(1)NationalAdvertisingDivisionoftheCounciloftheBetterBusinessBureau,Inc.(NAD),(2)NationalAdvertisingReviewBoard(NARB),(3)oneormoremedia,suchasprint,broadcast,orelectronicmedia,(4)ConsumerAdvocacyOrganizations,and(5)CivilorFederalcourts.Nosingletestdesignorstandardtestwillpreventchallenges.Thecriteriausedbyeachofthepotentialforumsarenotidenticalandareconstantlyevolving.Withtheintroductionofnewtechnologiescoupledwithchangingconsumerdemands,testingprocessesandprotocolsthatweresufficientfiveortenyearsagomaynotholdupundertoday’scriteriaandscrutiny.Conversely,itcanonlybespeculatedaboutthetestingrequirementsofthefuture.Theoneconstantisthat,asadvocatesoftheirclients’positions,attorneyswilldefendtheirclients’testingprocessesandprotocolwhilequestioningwithgreatdetaileveryaspectoftheircompetitor’sprotocolintheattempttoswaythearbitertoagr...
