CBC reinstates Kars4Kids ads after U.S. court halts ban on earworm jingle

Ads for the U.S.-based brotherly love Kars4Kids ar endorse, nail with the earworm jangle inviting viewers to "donate your car today."

In the wake of that ruling, Thompson said the Canadian broadcast industry's self-regulatory body ThinkTV had cleared the ads to air here.

ThinkTV did not immediately return a request for comment.

Kars4Kids is appealling a lower court’s ruling last month in California that found the charity’s ad campaign amounted to a "strategy of deception."

Judge Gassia Apkarian of the state’s Superior Court ruled the commercials — featuring children playing instruments and lip-syncing the jingle — should no longer be broadcast in California until they contain "an express, audible disclosure" of the charity's affiliation, and where proceeds go.

As the appeals court considers the case, a judge last week ordered a temporary stay of proceedings, meaning the unaltered campaign can continue — at least for now — in California.

The decision stemmed from a 2021 lawsuit brought by Bruce Puterbaugh, a California cabinetmaker who donated a 2001 Volvo XC to the charity. Court documents say Puterbaugh was under the impression the charity helped "underprivileged kids from all over the U.S."

It wasn't until later that he learned the main purpose of Kars4Kids is actually to fund a Jewish organization called Oorah, based in New Jersey.

Kars4Kids jingle back on California airwaves after court grants charity a reprieve

In her decision, Apkarian noted Oorah's programs include "matchmaking for young adults and gap-year trips to Israel for 17- and 18-year-olds."

California bans Kars4Kids charity jingle for false advertising

She added "the lower court’s findings on the facts and the law were deeply flawed, and we look forward to pursuing a broad appeal of that decision."

Kirwan previously did not respond to emailed questions about whether any of the proceeds raised in Canada go to help children in the country.

Canadian tax filings show Oorah transferred $12.6 million to the U.S. And Israel in the fiscal year ending May 31, 2025 — the most recent data available — for projects such as the Texas Torah Institute and the Cincinnati Hebrew Day School.

Oorah's Canada Revenue Agency filings show $19 million in expenditures in 2024-25, including $3.7 million on advertising and promotion.

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"For competitive reasons," he said, "we don’t share financial details pertaining to agreements with our advertising partners."

Other Canadian stations, including CTV News Channel, had continued to broadcast the familiar 30-second spot in recent weeks.

CTV’s parent company Bell Media, and broadcasters Rogers and Corus previously declined to comment, or did not respond when asked about broadcast plans in the wake of the initial California court decision last month.

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