FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:  November 1, 1988


 FTC CHARGES JS&A GROUP AND ITS PRESIDENT, JOSEPH SUGARMAN, WITH
  FALSELY CLAIMING THEIR PROGRAM-LENGTH AD FOR SUNGLASSES IS AN
  INVESTIGATIVE CONSUMER SHOW; CONSENT AGREEMENT SETTLES CHARGES 

     The Federal Trade Commission today charged JS&A Group Inc.
and its president and owner, Joseph Sugarman, with falsely
claiming that their program-length video advertisement is an
independent, investigative consumer program that conducted an
objective investigation of sunglasses the company sells.  A
consent agreement settling the charges prohibits them from
falsely claiming that any product for personal or household use
has been independently investigated or evaluated.

     JS&A advertises and sells the sunglasses, called
BluBlockers, and other products to the public.  Sugarman is
president of the company.

     According to the complaint issued with the consent agree-
ment, JS&A and Sugarman made false and misleading claims about
their program-length video advertisement for BluBlockers.  The
complaint charged that JS&A and Sugarman have claimed falsely
that a 30-minute television program called "Consumer Challenge"
is an independent consumer program, such as "60 Minutes" or
"20/20," that conducts independent and objective investigations
of consumer products like BluBlockers.  In addition, they falsely
claimed in their ads that producers and investigative reporters
of "Consumer Challenge" conducted an independent and objective
investigation of BluBlockers without receiving any reimbursement
or other financial benefit from JS&A, according to the complaint.

     In fact, the complaint charged, "Consumer Challenge" is not
an independent consumer program that conducts independent
investigations, but was created by Sugarman for the sole purpose
of selling BluBlockers.  The complaint also charged that the
producers and so-called investigative reporters of "Consumer
Challenge" were paid directly or indirectly by respondents for
producing and acting in the advertisement.

     The consent agreement prohibits JS&A and Sugarman from
misrepresenting that a product for personal or household use has
been independently investigated or evaluated.  It also prohibits
them from misrepresenting that a paid advertisement is an
independent consumer or news program.

                             (More)
     Under the consent agreement, for ten years after the order
is made final, JS&A must disclose clearly and prominently in any
program-length advertisement that it is an advertisement or
commercial.  The consent agreement defines "program-length
advertisement" as a video advertisement that lasts 15 minutes or
more.     

     JS&A and Sugarman are both located in Northbrook, Ill.

     The consent agreement is scheduled to appear in the Federal
Register today.  It will be subject to public comment for 60
days, until Jan. 3, 1989, after which the Commission will decide
whether to make it final.

     Comments should be addressed to the Office of the Secretary,
FTC, 6th St. and Pennsylvania Ave. N.W., Washington, D.C. 20580.

     A consent agreement is for settlement purposes only and does
not constitute admission of a law violation.  When the Commission
issues a consent order on a final basis, it carries the force of
law with respect to future actions.  Each violation of such an
order may result in a civil penalty of up to $10,000.

     Copies of the agreement, the complaint and an analysis of
the agreement are available from the FTC's Public Reference
Branch, Room 130, 6th St. and Pennsylvania Ave. N.W., Washington,
D.C. 20580; 202-326-2222; TTY 202-326-2502.

                              # # #

MEDIA CONTACT: Dee Ellison, Office of Public Affairs,
               202-326-2177

STAFF CONTACT: William C. MacLeod, Bureau of Consumer
               Protection, 202-326-3238

FTC File No. 872 3151

[JS&A]