Power Balance
Encyclopedia
Power Balance is a brand of hologram bracelet once claimed by its manufacturers and vendors to "use holographic technology" to "resonate with and respond to the natural energy field of the body", and increase sporting ability. Numerous independent studies of the device found it to be completely ineffective at improving athletic performance, and the manufacturer was forced to retract its claims in 2010.
The product was promoted through paid celebrity endorsements and viral marketing rather than published scientific work. Power Balance bands became a fad
among professional sportsmen in 2010, leading one journalist to say that "a growing number of professional sportsmen and their attendants are starting to sound like New Age crystal healers."
Power Balance initially denied that they made any medical or scientific claims about their products, but after a Australian Competition and Consumer Commission
ruling, Power Balance were forced to recognize and retract their medical claims. The company has been the focus of significant criticism, particularly for false advertising
. It has been described as "like the tooth fairy" and a "very successful marketing scam".
In December 2010, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC)
required Power Balance to do several things, including making the following statement admitting they "engaged in misleading conduct":
In January 2011, a suit was filed against the company for fraud, false advertising, unfair competition and unjust enrichment. In November 2011, Power Balance filed for bankruptcy after suffering a net loss of more than $9 million that year.
researchers from RMIT's School of Health Sciences recently (2011) reported the results of an independent, randomized and controlled trial with double blind design. They found no difference in balance between people using a real holographic wristband and those wearing a placebo.
On October 28, 2010 Olympic
champion gymnast
Dominique Dawes
, working for Yahoo Weekend News and Independent Investigations Group
(IIG), tested Power Balance bracelets for their claim that they improve balance, flexibility and strength. She states "The fact is, all athletes know that nothing can replace good old-fashioned hard work — practice, practice, practice...Can a silicone wristband with a hologram sticker really give you an added edge?" According to IIG investigator Dave Richards "There was one 'legitimate' Power Balance bracelet, and 3 'sham' bracelets that had the hologram removed from them. The experiment was double-blinded, all bracelets were wrapped with tape so no one present knew which bracelet was real and which were fakes. Neither the participants nor the people recording the scores knew which bracelet was ‘real’ until after all participants had completed their runs and their scores were recorded." The results indicated that there was no benefit for those that had a real holographic bracelet compared to those who had a placebo.
In December 2009, an informal double-blind test was performed on the Australian television program Today Tonight
, led by Richard Saunders
from the Australian Skeptics
. The results showed strong evidence that any effect of the holograms is too small to measure against the placebo effect
.
A study at the University of Wisconsin tested the effects of Power Balance bracelets on a group of NCAA athletes. One set of the athletes received the Power Balance bracelet, while the other received a placebo bracelet. The athletes were subjected to tests of flexibility, balance, and strength, after which, the athletes switched bracelets and performed the tests again. The study found that the Power Balance bracelet had virtually no effect, compared to the placebo, on the performance of the athletes.
s, and this opinion is echoed by others: Victor Thompson, a sports psychologist based in London, is quoted by the Daily Mail
as saying: "I'm not aware of any research that supports the technology behind these bands". Greg Whyte, professor of applied sport and exercise science, Liverpool John Moores University
was also quoted: "For generations there have been devices that claim to mediate the body's flow of energy, from acupuncture to copper wristbands and, latterly, magnets ... In most instances, the 'proof' is based on anecdotal evidence
."
Commenting on "Power Balance", the Center for Inquiry
noted the sellers' use of pseudoscientific
applied kinesiology
tests, which it described as "problematic and full of flaws". The illustrative videos on the company's website were considered vague and unclear, and the Center noted that "most people's flexibility seems to improve from their first stretch to their second stretch regardless of whether they are wearing the bracelet".
Harriet A. Hall
writes about the Power Balance Card in this column for Skeptical Inquirer Magazine June 2010. "Tell me you use the Power Balance card and it makes you feel better, and I can readily believe you. Tell me your performance improves when you carry it, and I will believe you. But that won't convince me that the improvement has anything to do with bioresonating frequencies in the holograms—or even with the cards themselves. It's like the tooth fairy. Tell me money appears under your pillow, and I will believe you. But that won't convince me that the tooth fairy did it."
Australian consumer advocate group CHOICE
recognized Power Balance in their 2010 Shonky Awards. The Shonky Awards are intended to "name and shame the shonkiest rip-offs and scams."
fined the Marbella-based subsidiary a sum of €15,000 for false advertising; consumer organization Facua are appealing to the Health Department for an increased fine as they consider this insufficient.
Also in November 2010 Power Balance filed suit against Microsoft
for infringement of trade dress
in respect of the Xbox Kinect, after the company announced a range of promotional wristbands.
In December 2010, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC)
obtained from Power Balance Australia Pty. Ltd. an undertaking to take a number of actions in relation to correcting their misleading advertising, including:
Power Balance Australia chief executive Tom O'Dowd admitted that "we'd made claims in the start that said that our product improved strength, balance and flexibility, and we didn't have the scientific peer reviewed double blind testing or the level of proof that we needed to substantiate those claims". ACCC chairman Graeme Samuel stated "It's a crock frankly. And we're very disappointed that so many people have paid hundreds of thousands if not millions of dollars to buy these Power Bands."
Power Balance Australia were required by the ACCC to run a series of advertisements in Australian media containing the following text and to unconditionally refund those they mislead:
In December 2010 Italy's Antitrust Authority fined Power Balance 300,000 euros (and another company 50,000 euros) for not having scientific proof of the claims made.
In September 2010, the Dutch Advertising Code Commission (RCC) made the following decision in the case where FIR-TEX Ltd, the plaintiff, had put Surf Unlimited Trading BV, distributor of power-balance in the Netherlands, on trial with the following complaint:
The verdict of the Commission was as follows:
The product was promoted through paid celebrity endorsements and viral marketing rather than published scientific work. Power Balance bands became a fad
FAD
In biochemistry, flavin adenine dinucleotide is a redox cofactor involved in several important reactions in metabolism. FAD can exist in two different redox states, which it converts between by accepting or donating electrons. The molecule consists of a riboflavin moiety bound to the phosphate...
among professional sportsmen in 2010, leading one journalist to say that "a growing number of professional sportsmen and their attendants are starting to sound like New Age crystal healers."
Power Balance initially denied that they made any medical or scientific claims about their products, but after a Australian Competition and Consumer Commission
Australian Competition and Consumer Commission
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission is an independent authority of the Australia government. It was established in 1995 with the amalgamation of the Australian Trade Practices Commission and the Prices Surveillance Authority to administer the Trade Practices Act 1974...
ruling, Power Balance were forced to recognize and retract their medical claims. The company has been the focus of significant criticism, particularly for false advertising
False advertising
False advertising or deceptive advertising is the use of false or misleading statements in advertising. As advertising has the potential to persuade people into commercial transactions that they might otherwise avoid, many governments around the world use regulations to control false, deceptive or...
. It has been described as "like the tooth fairy" and a "very successful marketing scam".
In December 2010, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC)
Australian Competition and Consumer Commission
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission is an independent authority of the Australia government. It was established in 1995 with the amalgamation of the Australian Trade Practices Commission and the Prices Surveillance Authority to administer the Trade Practices Act 1974...
required Power Balance to do several things, including making the following statement admitting they "engaged in misleading conduct":
- "In our advertising we stated that Power Balance wristbands improved your strength, balance and flexibility. We admit that there is no credible scientific evidence that supports our claims and therefore we engaged in misleading conduct in breach of s52 of the Trade Practices Act 1974. If you feel you have been misled by our promotions, we wish to unreservedly apologize and offer a full refund."
In January 2011, a suit was filed against the company for fraud, false advertising, unfair competition and unjust enrichment. In November 2011, Power Balance filed for bankruptcy after suffering a net loss of more than $9 million that year.
Evidence
Studies have been done to examine the claims made by manufacturers of hologram-containing wristbands. ChiropracticChiropractic
Chiropractic is a health care profession concerned with the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of disorders of the neuromusculoskeletal system and the effects of these disorders on general health. It is generally categorized as complementary and alternative medicine...
researchers from RMIT's School of Health Sciences recently (2011) reported the results of an independent, randomized and controlled trial with double blind design. They found no difference in balance between people using a real holographic wristband and those wearing a placebo.
On October 28, 2010 Olympic
Olympic Games
The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
champion gymnast
Gymnast
Gymnasts are people who participate in the sports of either artistic gymnastics, trampolining, or rhythmic gymnastics.See gymnasium for the origin of the word gymnast from gymnastikos.-Female artistic:Australia...
Dominique Dawes
Dominique Dawes
Dominique Margaux Dawes is a retired United States artistic gymnast. She was 10-year member of the U.S. national gymnastics team, the 1994 U.S. all-around senior National Champion, a three-time Olympian, a World Championships silver medalist and a member of the gold-medal winning "Magnificent...
, working for Yahoo Weekend News and Independent Investigations Group
Independent Investigations Group
The Independent Investigations Group is a volunteer-based organization founded by James Underdown in January 2000 at the Center for Inquiry-West in Hollywood, California...
(IIG), tested Power Balance bracelets for their claim that they improve balance, flexibility and strength. She states "The fact is, all athletes know that nothing can replace good old-fashioned hard work — practice, practice, practice...Can a silicone wristband with a hologram sticker really give you an added edge?" According to IIG investigator Dave Richards "There was one 'legitimate' Power Balance bracelet, and 3 'sham' bracelets that had the hologram removed from them. The experiment was double-blinded, all bracelets were wrapped with tape so no one present knew which bracelet was real and which were fakes. Neither the participants nor the people recording the scores knew which bracelet was ‘real’ until after all participants had completed their runs and their scores were recorded." The results indicated that there was no benefit for those that had a real holographic bracelet compared to those who had a placebo.
In December 2009, an informal double-blind test was performed on the Australian television program Today Tonight
Today Tonight
Today Tonight is a controversial Australian News and Current Affairs program, produced by the Seven Network and shown weeknightly at in direct competition with rival Nine Network program A Current Affair....
, led by Richard Saunders
Richard Saunders (skeptic)
Richard Saunders is an Australian skeptic, podcaster and professional origamist. He has received recognition by the Australian Skeptics with a Life Membership in 2001 for his contributions to the organisation...
from the Australian Skeptics
Australian Skeptics
The Australian Skeptics is a non-profit organisation based in Australia which investigates paranormal and pseudoscientific claims using scientific methodologies.-History:...
. The results showed strong evidence that any effect of the holograms is too small to measure against the placebo effect
Placebo effect
Placebo effect may refer to:* Placebo effect, the tendency of any medication or treatment, even an inert or ineffective one, to exhibit results simply because the recipient believes that it will work...
.
A study at the University of Wisconsin tested the effects of Power Balance bracelets on a group of NCAA athletes. One set of the athletes received the Power Balance bracelet, while the other received a placebo bracelet. The athletes were subjected to tests of flexibility, balance, and strength, after which, the athletes switched bracelets and performed the tests again. The study found that the Power Balance bracelet had virtually no effect, compared to the placebo, on the performance of the athletes.
Criticisms
A group of students skeptical of the claims conducted a test which showed "no significant difference between the real wristband and the fake". Researchers commissioned by the BBC also found that the bands were placeboPlacebo
A placebo is a simulated or otherwise medically ineffectual treatment for a disease or other medical condition intended to deceive the recipient...
s, and this opinion is echoed by others: Victor Thompson, a sports psychologist based in London, is quoted by the Daily Mail
Daily Mail
The Daily Mail is a British daily middle-market tabloid newspaper owned by the Daily Mail and General Trust. First published in 1896 by Lord Northcliffe, it is the United Kingdom's second biggest-selling daily newspaper after The Sun. Its sister paper The Mail on Sunday was launched in 1982...
as saying: "I'm not aware of any research that supports the technology behind these bands". Greg Whyte, professor of applied sport and exercise science, Liverpool John Moores University
Liverpool John Moores University
Liverpool John Moores University is a British 'modern' university located in the city of Liverpool, England. The university is named after John Moores and was previously called Liverpool Mechanics' School of Arts and later Liverpool Polytechnic before gaining university status in 1992, thus...
was also quoted: "For generations there have been devices that claim to mediate the body's flow of energy, from acupuncture to copper wristbands and, latterly, magnets ... In most instances, the 'proof' is based on anecdotal evidence
Anecdotal evidence
The expression anecdotal evidence refers to evidence from anecdotes. Because of the small sample, there is a larger chance that it may be true but unreliable due to cherry-picked or otherwise unrepresentative of typical cases....
."
Commenting on "Power Balance", the Center for Inquiry
Center for Inquiry
The Center for Inquiry is a non-profit educational organization with headquarters in the United States whose primary mission is to encourage evidence-based inquiry into paranormal and fringe science claims, alternative medicine and mental health practices, religion, secular ethics, and society...
noted the sellers' use of pseudoscientific
Pseudoscience
Pseudoscience is a claim, belief, or practice which is presented as scientific, but which does not adhere to a valid scientific method, lacks supporting evidence or plausibility, cannot be reliably tested, or otherwise lacks scientific status...
applied kinesiology
Applied kinesiology
Applied kinesiology is an alternative medicine method used for diagnosis and determination of therapy. According to practitioners using Applied Kinesiology techniques, it provides feedback on the functional status of the body. AK is a practice within the realm of alternative medicine and is...
tests, which it described as "problematic and full of flaws". The illustrative videos on the company's website were considered vague and unclear, and the Center noted that "most people's flexibility seems to improve from their first stretch to their second stretch regardless of whether they are wearing the bracelet".
Harriet A. Hall
Harriet A. Hall
Harriet A. Hall is a retired family physician, former U.S. Air Force flight surgeon and skeptic who writes about alternative medicine and quackery for Skeptic and Skeptical Inquirer.-Career:...
writes about the Power Balance Card in this column for Skeptical Inquirer Magazine June 2010. "Tell me you use the Power Balance card and it makes you feel better, and I can readily believe you. Tell me your performance improves when you carry it, and I will believe you. But that won't convince me that the improvement has anything to do with bioresonating frequencies in the holograms—or even with the cards themselves. It's like the tooth fairy. Tell me money appears under your pillow, and I will believe you. But that won't convince me that the tooth fairy did it."
Australian consumer advocate group CHOICE
Australian Consumers Association
The Australian Consumers’ Association, which trades as CHOICE, is an Australian not for profit consumer organisation. It is a non-partisan organisation that was founded in 1959 which researches and campaigns on behalf of Australian consumers...
recognized Power Balance in their 2010 Shonky Awards. The Shonky Awards are intended to "name and shame the shonkiest rip-offs and scams."
Legal issues
In November 2010, the Australian distributors of 'Power Balance' were ordered by the Therapeutic Goods Complaints Resolution Panel to drop "false and misleading" claims that the wearers would experience "up to a 500% increase in strength, power and flexibility", and ordered the claims removed from the company's website and a retraction posted within two weeks. The Junta de AndaluciaAndalusian Autonomous Government
The Andalusian Autonomous Government is the regional government body of Andalusia, one of the 17 autonomous communities which make up Spain...
fined the Marbella-based subsidiary a sum of €15,000 for false advertising; consumer organization Facua are appealing to the Health Department for an increased fine as they consider this insufficient.
Also in November 2010 Power Balance filed suit against Microsoft
Microsoft
Microsoft Corporation is an American public multinational corporation headquartered in Redmond, Washington, USA that develops, manufactures, licenses, and supports a wide range of products and services predominantly related to computing through its various product divisions...
for infringement of trade dress
Trade dress
Trade dress is a legal term of art that generally refers to characteristics of the visual appearance of a product or its packaging that signify the source of the product to consumers...
in respect of the Xbox Kinect, after the company announced a range of promotional wristbands.
In December 2010, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC)
Australian Competition and Consumer Commission
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission is an independent authority of the Australia government. It was established in 1995 with the amalgamation of the Australian Trade Practices Commission and the Prices Surveillance Authority to administer the Trade Practices Act 1974...
obtained from Power Balance Australia Pty. Ltd. an undertaking to take a number of actions in relation to correcting their misleading advertising, including:
- publishing, at its own expense, corrective advertisements
- ceasing to claim that the products
- will improve the user's balance, strength and flexibility; or
- are 'designed to work with the body's natural energy field';
- nor, in conjunction with the Products, make claims that 'Power Balance is Performance Technology' or use the phrase "Performance Technology"
- ceasing to manufacture or import products containing the words "Performance Technology"
- blacking out the words "Performance Technology" on its packaging
- replacing its promotional and marketing material
- offering full refunds, plus postage
Power Balance Australia chief executive Tom O'Dowd admitted that "we'd made claims in the start that said that our product improved strength, balance and flexibility, and we didn't have the scientific peer reviewed double blind testing or the level of proof that we needed to substantiate those claims". ACCC chairman Graeme Samuel stated "It's a crock frankly. And we're very disappointed that so many people have paid hundreds of thousands if not millions of dollars to buy these Power Bands."
Power Balance Australia were required by the ACCC to run a series of advertisements in Australian media containing the following text and to unconditionally refund those they mislead:
- "In our advertising we stated that Power Balance wristbands improved your strength, balance and flexibility. We admit that there is no credible scientific evidence that supports our claims and therefore we engaged in misleading conduct in breach of s52 of the Trade Practices Act 1974. If you feel you have been misled by our promotions, we wish to unreservedly apologise and offer a full refund." - Power Balance statement.
In December 2010 Italy's Antitrust Authority fined Power Balance 300,000 euros (and another company 50,000 euros) for not having scientific proof of the claims made.
In September 2010, the Dutch Advertising Code Commission (RCC) made the following decision in the case where FIR-TEX Ltd, the plaintiff, had put Surf Unlimited Trading BV, distributor of power-balance in the Netherlands, on trial with the following complaint:
- "Advertiser claims on its website that the use of the Power Balance Bracelet improves balance, strength and agility. These allegations are not backed with any single (scientific) evidence. The plaintiff believes that this method of advertising is in conflict with the Dutch Advertising Code (NRC) as the link between wearing the bracelet and the health of the wearer has not been determined in any way."
The verdict of the Commission was as follows:
- The Commission considers the advertisement in opposition of the provisions of Article 7 NRC. It recommends advertiser not to advertise in such a way anymore.