Airborne, a best-selling supplement that “helps support your immune system,” has taken heat over the years regarding its connection to the cold. Past advertising claims have led to legal claims. Ironically, there is one fact they advertise that is true and I just don’t get it. So, I sent this inquiry requesting an explanation…

Dear Immune System Supporters:

Everyone knows Airborne was created by a school teacher. If they don’t, they haven’t read the box. What I don’t understand is why that’s important. Not that some people haven’t read the box, but advertising that Airborne was created by a school teacher. Now you can start to see why I wasn’t a very good student, but I did take detailed notes that I couldn’t understand either.

I could buy the “Created By” credit being a big deal if Airborne was created by a Nobel Prize winning Biogeneticist. But we’re talking about a second grade teacher who was showing kids how to color one day … and somehow figured out the formula for confounding a complex, balanced network of cells and organs that work together to keep the body healthy. Isn’t that sort of stuff still baffling some of the world’s most brilliant scientists? They should have taken her class!

Not to diminish the accomplishment of the teacher, I certainly give her an E for Effort. But what’s next — a hammer created by a manicurist?

My second grade teacher couldn’t even bake good cookies, so your second grade teacher must be one smart cookie! Your homework assignment is to mail me a reply that I won’t turn into a paper airplane and send Airborne.

Very achooly yours,
“Me”

After two attempts, Airborne customer service seems to be at recess. No reply.

Final Thoughts: Anyone can come up with a great idea. In fact, I applaud the teacher, Victoria Knight-McDowell, for her achievements and success with Airborne. However, I can see a classroom product or learning aid being advertised as “Created by a School Teacher.” That’s a benefit based on experience. But in this case, the teacher is billed as a second grade teacher, not even a science teacher. We don’t even know if Victoria got good grades in science when she was in school. How does her being around snotty-nosed kids in class qualify her to create an immune system support supplement? Where’s the science background that enabled her to discover this formula?

Airborne has agreed to pay multi-millions of dollars in settlement agreements related to past advertising claims. Since the time of my letters this year, they also sold a majority stake of the company. The box still says, “CREATED BY A SCHOOL TEACHER.” However, even when manufacturers speak the truth, you still have every right to stick your nose in their business and Write The Company.