After the Kars4Kids ad is banned in California, we check in on nostalgic jingles past

National After the Kars4Kids ad is banned in California, we check in on nostalgic jingles past May 20, 20262:08 PM ET By  Rachel Treisman Kars4Kids advertisements, like this TV commercial on a hot-pink set, feature children turning the charity's phone number into a catchy jingle. But they do not disclose that most of the proceeds go to a Jewish nonprofit that supports programming for young adults. Kars4Kids/Screenshot by NPR hide caption toggle caption Kars4Kids/Screenshot by NPR The "Kars4Kids" jingle — with its chipper melody and high-pitched, pre-tween singers — has been wedged firmly in many Americans' heads for two decades. But it may soon go off the air in California after a judge banned it for being "deceptive." The Indicator from Planet Money How nonprofits get cash from your clunker Judge Gassia Apkarian of the Orange County Superior Court ruled earlier this month that the ad violates California's laws against unfair competition and false advertising because it does not disclose Kars4Kids' religious affiliation. The case has put the jingle — and the charity behind it — in the headlines. And it inspired us to check in on some other nostalgic favorites (more on that below). The Kars4Kids case, explained  Kars4Kids says it gives most of its proceeds from used-car donations to Oorah, an Orthodox Jewish nonprofit based in New Jersey that provides opportunities like summer camps, adult matchmaking services and trips to Israel. Sponsor Message Kars4Kids makes the connection to its "sister nonprofit" clear on its website, though not in its infamous jingle: "1-877-Kars4Kids / K-A-R-S Kars for Kids / 1-877-Kars4Kids / Donate your car today." That omission prompted California resident Bruce Puterbaugh to sue Oorah in 2021. According to the judge's order, Puterbaugh testified that he donated a 2001 Volvo station wagon after hearing the Kars4Kids advertisement "over and over," believing the money would benefit California kids in need. Puterbaugh, a self-described "...