NFL throws a flag on GNC’s Super Bowl ad

NEW YORK — Nutritional supplement seller GNC intended to use a 30-second Super Bowl ad to revamp its image. But the NFL had other ideas.

GNC said Tuesday it was notified that it will not be allowed to air the ad it created — or any ad — during the game Sunday because it violates an NFL policy against having supplements advertised during its games.

A number of companies in the past have had to switch out or modify their Super Bowl ads because they were rejected because of their content.

One company, 84 Lumber, said it was asked to alter its spot that showed a border wall, because it was deemed “too political.”

SodaStream changed its ads twice in the past two years because they were deemed to be referencing Coke and Pepsi too directly.

But this is the first time in recent memory that an advertiser has been banned completely.

NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy cited policy that’s part of the league’s collective bargaining agreement with the NFL Players Association that prohibits the use of performanceenhancing substances.

“We do not want a network partner airing advertising in this category on NFL games or NFL programming,” McCarthy said.

The news came as a surprise to GNC, since its ad had been given the green light by Fox, said the company’s chief marketing officer, Jeff Hennion. The ad concept was approved Jan. 9 by Fox and a rough cut of the spot was approved last week, he said. But they were notified Monday that the ad would not air. “We don’t know why they waited until six days before the game to tell us,” Hennion said.

Fox spokesman Jonathan Bing declined to comment.

Pittsburgh-based GNC Holdings Inc. has been attempting a turnaround, but it has been slow going.