Walmart Roblox ‘Advergame’ unclear whether ad or game, consumers tell watchdog

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Walmart Roblox overview: 

• Who: A group of consumer advocates complained about Walmart  to an advertising regulator.
• Why: The advocates say Walmart deceptively markets to children on Roblox.
• Where: The consumer advocates represent consumers in the United States.

Walmart deceptively marketed itself to children by creating advertising content on Roblox that acted like a game, consumers have told advertising regulator BBB National Programs.

On Jan. 23, several consumer advocate groups sent a letter to BBB National Programs’ Children’s Advertising Review Unit to draw attention to the alleged deceptive marketing on the Roblox app.

According to the advocates, Walmart created Walmart Universe of Play, an advergame targeted at young children on Roblox. 

The advocates say the advergame deceptively markets its goods and services to players by “blurring the distinction between advertising content and organic content” and failing to provide any clear or conspicuous disclosures that the game is an ad.

“As such, the advergame fails to comply with CARU’s Advertising Guidelines, as well as truth in advertising laws,” the advocates say.

“To add insult to injury, Walmart is using the Children’s Advertising Review Unit’s COPPA Safe Harbor Program seal to convey the message that its advergame, which is directed at children, is not deceptive, unfair, or inappropriate when that simply is not the case,” the letter.

Consumer advocates seek investigation, audit of Walmart Roblox advergame

Truth in Advertising Inc., Fairplay, the Center for Digital Democracy and the National Association of Consumer Advocates sent the letter, which demands BBB National Programs’ Children’s Advertising Review Unit immediately investigates and audits the Walmart Roblox advergame.

They say the advergame encourages young kids to make toy wish lists and unwrap advertisements designed as mystery gifts.

Walmart launched its Universe of Play on Roblox last fall to increase its “brand favorability with younger audiences” and reach its customers “in unexpected ways,” it said at the time, according to Law360. The experience allows users to play with the “year’s best toys” and make a “wish list” of toys that can be purchased at Walmart, according to the groups’ letter. 

As they move through the experience, the advergame prompts users to “gifts” revealed as ads only after they are opened.

“While children will find a multitude of toys advertised in this universe, what they (and their parents) will not find are clear and conspicuous disclosures informing them that they are playing in an advergame,” the groups state.

A 2021 class action lawsuit against Roblox alleges it designed a scheme in which it allowed its users to buy any content then deletes some of it in an attempt to look as though it’s carefully moderating its platform without giving refunds.

What do you think of the Walmart Roblox advergame? Let us know in the comments.

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