Click here to view in your browser

In this issue...

• CBC bans 1-877-Kars4Kids ads after court rules they're deceptive

• Wendy's restaurants outside U.S. are about to turn blue

• By the numbers X 10 + 1

• CBC Radio's Under the Influence: Debut commercials - again

• Dunkin' plans major resurgence in Canada

• Before you go: 7 things you may have missed in the news

• Trivia: Did you know?

• Quotes of note

• Check out these delicious recipe compilations from Brian Cormier

• Monday, May 25: Greater Moncton Sunrise Rotary Trivia Night

• Enjoy the outdoors with the Greater Moncton Walking Group

CBC bans 1-877-Kars4Kids ads after court rules they're deceptive

If you ever question God's existence, this is proof that He is real and loves us all.

Canadians will be hearing less of that unbelievably awful 1-877-Kars4Kids jingle following a U.S. court decision stating that the organization's claims are deceptive.

Article excerpt: "The CBC will no longer carry ads for Kars4Kids - the long-running charity campaign featuring a familiar jingle inviting audiences to 'donate your car today.'

The public broadcaster announced the move on Tuesday, days after a California court found the campaign amounted to a 'strategy of deception.'

'In light of the developments regarding this charity, CBC has decided to pull their ads,' Chuck Thompson, a spokesperson for the Crown corporation, told CBC News in an email.

Earlier this month, Judge Gassia Apkarian of the Superior Court of California ruled the Kars4Kids ads - featuring children playing instruments and lip-syncing the earworm jingle — would be banned from being broadcast in the state until they contain 'an express, audible disclosure' of the charity's affiliation, and where proceeds go.

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."

Clearly, there's nothing inherently wrong with supporting a Jewish organization, but that certainly would have never been my impression of where the funds go after hearing this jingle constantly for the past number of years. And therein lies the deception, because I wasn't alone in that assumption.

Good riddance, I say.

Just in case you're unfamiliar, the full jingle can be found on YouTube by clicking here.

Read: CBC pulls Kars4Kids ads after U.S. court bans "deceptive" jingle.

Wendy's restaurants outside U.S. are about to turn blue

Actually, I think this update is a good one because all fast food places seem to rely on brown-red-yellow in their designs. Wendy's wants to stand out and will be adding a bright blue to their locations outside the U.S.

Article excerpt: "Wendy’s is giving its global restaurants a major visual refresh, introducing a new 'Future Fresh' design that swaps its signature red-heavy branding for a bold blue color scheme in many international markets.

Wendy’s CEO Ken Cook announced May 8 that restaurants outside the U.S. are beginning to adopt the updated look, which features a bright blue palette inspired by the company’s iconic pigtailed logo.

The chain’s signature logo will remain unchanged, but the surrounding restaurant design is being modernized as part of the global rollout.

'This bold, modern format enhances our visual identity through a blue color scheme and digital-first layout that makes us stand out from competitors,' Cook said."

I'm not really a fan of light blue, but this design seems to work. It looks cheerful and new. I suspect other brands may follow this move away from standard colours.

Read: Wendy's restaurants abroad are turning blue.

By the numbers X 10 + 1

• 1. Anderson Cooper emotionally signs off 60 Minutes after 2 decades

• 2. 5 camper vans so cleverly designed they replace your apartment, office and hotel room

• 3. 6 key things we learned about Pope Leo in his first year

• 4. Newfoundland and Labrador's most notorious unsolved murder remains a mystery even 10 years after DNA breakthrough

• 5. 10 Mexican spirits that aren't tequila that deserve a spot on your shelf

• 6. SNL UK renewed for expanded 12-episode second season

• 7. The 37% rule on dating before settling down 

• 8. Price Is Right contestant wins largest single-game prize in show's 54-year history

• 9. A restaurant in a village of 1,500 is getting major recognition in Quebec - and Canada

• 10. Government to pay $8.7M to Canadians affected by CRA data breach. Here’s how to check if you qualify.

• Bonus: 4 valuable things people accidentally donate, according to a pro thrift shopper

CBC Radio's Under the Influence: Debut commercials - again

The May 14th episode of CBC Radio's Under the Influence with host Terry O'Reilly was the second of the two-part series on debut commercials.

• May 14, 2026 - Debut Commercials - Part Two: "Today, it’s part two of our episode that revisits the very first commercials ever produced for famous products. From the very first commercial for something called the Big Mac, to the first TV ad for a new doll called Barbie, we take a trip back in time. Including the very first commercials starring a couple of struggling actors who would go on to win Academy Awards." Click here to listen to the episode.

Under the Influence airs Thursdays and Saturdays at 11:30 a.m. on CBC Radio One; Tuesdays at 4 p.m., Thursdays at 11:30 a.m. and Saturdays at 11:30 a.m. on Sirius XM Channel 169. The show is also available as a podcast through your favourite podcast provider. Click here for the show's website (note: not regularly maintained) and click here for the show's on-demand audio archive.

Dunkin' plans major resurgence in Canada

While Dunkin' (formerly Dunkin' Donuts) has been in the Canadian marketplace before, the brand exited the country completely in 2018. Recently, however, it announced that it's moving forward with an effort to once again enter the Canadian market.

Article excerpt: "Popular U.S. cafe chain Dunkin’ is expected to make a return to Canada, after shutting hundreds of locations before leaving eight years ago.

Its return this time will be different, says Peter Mammas, the president and CEO of restaurant holding company Foodtastic, which signed a master franchising agreement with Dunkin’ owner Inspire Brands to bring the cafe chain back to the North.

Mammas says this time the chain’s focus will be on Canadian ownership.

'I think the support and the Canadian ownership is going to help the brand here make a comeback,' says Mammas.

Dunkin’ confirmed its total exit from the Canadian market in September 2018.

The failure of the brand was cemented by a $16.4 million civil court judgment awarded to Quebec franchisees after they successfully sued Dunkin’ Brands Canada Ltd. for failing to adequately support and promote the brand against competitors like Tim Hortons.

Mammas says that situation was different because it was many years ago under different leadership."

With the current anti-American sentiment in Canada, I'm not sure that Dunkin's efforts will bear much fruit at this time, although its New England roots certainly don't overtly suggest it's a right-wing-leaning establishment. It will be a difficult thing to try and get consumers here to switch from the quintessentially Canadian brand (Tim Hortons) to something American. Unlike McDonald's (also an American chain but one that's been established for decades), Dunkin' is pretty much starting from scratch.

Read: How Dunkin’ plans to conquer Canada: Healthy menu, trendy beverages and focus on Gen Z. Related: Dunkin’ is coming back to Canada and it has Tim Hortons in its sights.

Before you go: 7 things you may have missed in the news

• 1. Robert K. Irving dies at 71 (see photo)

• 2. Reality TV pioneer John Barbour of Real People dies at 93

• 3. Rex Reed, longtime film critic and journalist, dies at 87

• 4. Brandon Clarke, Canadian-born Memphis Grizzlies forward, dead at 29

• 5. Canada’s Snowbirds jets grounded until 2030s as replacement aircraft identified

• 6. How "Cape Bretoner" became an ethnicity option on the census

• 7. Montreal grandparent scammer spent victims' money on cocaine, cars and parties: court documents

Trivia: Did you know?

The mustachioed mascot on those tubes of Pringles potato chips actually has a name: Julio Pringles! Who knew?

Pringles have been around since 1968 and are sold in 140 countries around the world. And in case you didn't realize, they're not actually sliced potatoes but are manufactured out of a mixture of dried potatoes, starches, seasonings and other ingredients.

Quotes of note

• 1. "The saddest aspect of life right now is that science gathers knowledge faster than society gathers wisdom."

- Isaac Asimov (1920-1992), American author (see photo)

• 2. "Why do we love the idea that people might be secretly working together to control and organize the world? Because we don't like to face the fact that our world runs on a combination of chaos, incompetence and confusion."

- Jonathan Cainer

• 3. "A best friend is the only one that walks into your life when the world has walked out."

- Shannon L. Alder 

• 4. "Embrace each challenge in your life as an opportunity for self-transformation."

- Bernie Siegel

• 5. "Being sick successfully is not included in society’s panoply of worthy goals."

- Kaimana Wolff, Broken Sleep

• 6. "Seven thousand years is just one day at a time."

- Terry Pratchett, Pyramids 

• 7. "The best index to a person's character is how he treats people who can't do him any good, and how he treats people who can't fight back."

- Abigail Van Buren

• 8. "A cold in the head in June is an immoral thing..."

- Lucy Maud Montgomery

• 9. "The older I grow, the more I distrust the familiar doctrine that age brings wisdom."

- H.L. Mencken

• 10. "Somebody just gave me a shower radio. Thanks a lot. Do you really want music in the shower? I guess there's no better place to dance than a slick surface next to a glass door."

- Jerry Seinfeld

Monday, May 25: Greater Moncton Sunrise Rotary Trivia Night

The next Greater Moncton Sunrise Rotary Club Trivia Night will be held at St. Louis Bar & Grill, 1405 Mountain Road, Moncton, on Monday, May 25, beginning at 6:30 p.m. $10 per person (cash only).

Participants may play as teams or individuals. The winning team gets 50% of the door receipts as their prize.

It is strongly suggested that participants arrive by 5:15-5:30 p.m. for a seat. Trivia begins at 6:30 p.m. sharp and is usually over by 8-8:15 p.m. Everyone welcome!

Please note that restaurant reservations are NOT available for this event. First come, first served. Limited seating of approximately 50 guests.

Participants may bring an optional non-perishable food item (box of granola bars, Kraft Dinner, cereal, canned goods, etc.) for distribution at Krista Richard's Community Sports Program events, of which the Greater Moncton Sunrise Rotary Club is a sponsor. Any donations will be gratefully received and provided to Krista for distribution to her program participants (school-aged children from Moncton-area schools).

Since Rotary Trivia Nights began in 2016, the Greater Moncton Sunrise Rotary Club has donated more than $20,000 to Atlantic Wellness, Karing Kitchen, Ray of Hope Kitchen, Salvus Clinic, The Humanity Project, BGC Moncton (Moncton Boys & Girls Club), Junior Achievement New Brunswick, Project Linus - Moncton Chapter, Habitat for Humanity, Junior Achievement New Brunswick, Children's Wish Canada, Krista Richard's Community Sports Program and Bicycle Program, Diabetes Canada's D-Camps for kids, and Anglophone East School District's School Supplies Drive, among others.

The Greater Moncton Sunrise Rotary Club gratefully acknowledges the kind and generous sponsorship of our restaurant partner, St. Louis Bar & Grill.

PLEASE NOTE: There is a no telephone rule at these events. The answers cannot be researched except among discussion with your team members.

Facebook event listing: bit.ly/4telREk

Enjoy the outdoors with the Greater Moncton Walking Group

In May, the group walks on the Dobson Trail in Riverview. Meetup is in the Trail's parking lot on Quinn Court.

The group meets for walks every Tuesday and Thursday at 8:30 a.m. New participants are always welcome! For more information, please contact Wayne Harrigan at 506-386-2187 or via email.

About this newsletter

Brian Cormier's Weekly Update is distributed weekly from September to June. If you're reading this newsletter online and want to subscribe, please email me, fill out the subscription form on my website, or subscribe via the "Join Our Email List" button at the top of the newsletter (if you're viewing this in a browser.) This newsletter is not published in July and August and on holidays.