-- Businesses should always offer clarity to consumers in advertising. But consumers often don’t understand the meaning of nuanced terms. One business has taken affirmative steps to guarantee its consumers are well informed.
The CEO of Auto Fire Guard, LLC, Grant Van Der Jagt said, “There are three terms that may cause confusion to folks not well versed in industry terms. We want to make sure we are understood by our customers so that our customers can be confident that they are getting exactly what they order, which can be difficult for improved products with nuanced terms.”
The Fireball is a unique device. It combines a unique set of chemicals with fire suppressants and beautiful designs making it the only product of its kind. Van Der Jagt created the Fireball’s patented designs and formulated its unique mix of ingredients to extend product life and stop fires safely. He also trademarked “Fireball”, making him the registered owner. No one else has invented a product like the Fireball because no one else uses the same chemical mixture that has become Auto Fire Guard’s trade secret; no one else has made a device that functions like the Fireball and looks as good, nor may anyone else use the trademark “Fireball”. But there is no denying that the Fireball adds to a long history of inventions. In particular, he pays homage to Thomas Edison, who over 100 years ago, made a similar device which he called a fire grenade that was sold in a glass bottle. Suffice it to say, Van Der Jagt did not invent fire nor the ball, nor did he invent the chemicals inside, nor the way it is packaged and disbursed. Why the nuance? It is important to understand the parts that make up the whole so as to clearly understand what is meant by “invented”. Each device sold comes with a history lesson in the user manual. Auto Fire Guard has taken consumer clarity to a new level.
Another example is how Van Der Jagt explains “UL certified components.” The Underwriters Laboratory creates standards and tests products to those standards. In the Fireball, the component that is UL certified is the fire suppressant chemical, which amounts to 97%+ of the Fireball® by weight. So, could someone say the Fireball is UL certified? Perhaps a lay person, but here, the term is tightly controlled by the UL. The Fireball as a unique device is not UL certified. Auto Fire Guard is actively working with the UL to develop standards to certify the device to, however at present there are no applicable UL standards, except for UL 299 & UL 711 which prove the highest quality of the fire suppressant dry chemical powder is used. And of course, that is the case with the Fireball. Can the converse be stated without misleading the public? Yes. Because there are no applicable UL standards, it is not wrong to state that the Fireball is UL compliant. Auto Fire Guard has always made this clear on its FAQ page.
But what many people wrongly understand is that it meets fire code. As is further explained on Auto Fire Guard website, only your local fire marshall can interpret your fire code. Some fire marshalls have allowed it and some have not. Ok, what does this announcement not mean? Well, the UL has not certified the other 1-3% of the device by weight or function and therefore the Fireball is not UL certified. In fact, because the UL certified components are not certified for use in the device, contrary to information given to Auto Fire Guard initially, it can’t use the UL component logo until the components are approved for use in the Fireball. Meanwhile, the UL has instructed Auto Fire Guard that it can continue to say it uses UL certified components as long as the UL component logo is not used, and says it is not wrong to say it complies with all applicable UL standards, since non apply to the full device. Raise your hand if you see how nuanced this is.
Similar confusion may be discovered when asked where Auto Fire Guard makes the Fireball. “The first few Fireballs were made in my garage by hand”, said Van Der Jagt, who has previously stated they were made in the USA and sometimes with foreign components. Still today, Van Der Jagt said he enjoys making the Fireball in his garage, but methods have changed over the years. Today, Auto Fire Guard has retained some local assembly and manufacturing but has also outsourced some assembly and manufacturing to foreign contractors both outside of Colorado and the USA, including Native American Indian tribes.
A lot has happened since making the first one in the inventor’s living room in Wisconsin, where Auto Fire Guard conceptually began. After moving to Colorado, it became less practical to keep sourcing materials from Wisconsin. Now, we do much of our work in Colorado, but also in South Carolina and abroad, including on American Indian Tribal land. Since the beginning, Auto Fire Guard has said “made in the USA with foreign components.” But after a May 31st 2021 announcement about a new foreign supplier for several products it sells, the company has shifted to a broader term: “Assembled in the USA with foreign components” to pay respect to those attributes made in the USA and also those made abroad.
When asked about these confusing terms, Van Der Jagt said, “We know this gets confusing, so, if anyone purchases any of the Fireball devices believing I was the inventor of each part: the ball, styrofoam, plastic, dry chemical powder or any other attributes of the device not clearly explained in this interview, or if anyone purchased a Fireball believing it is 100% UL certified, or made exclusively in the USA, the customer is encouraged to ask for a full refund. Auto Fire Guard remains committed to clearly communicating the attributes of its devices.” Kudos to Auto Fire Guard for its candor.
Release ID: 89021361