Vicious Cycle?

Here’s an interesting article from Forbes about how some marketers may be overpromising in their ads. In this economy, it’s probably not a big surprise that companies feel more pressure than normal to sell product. So they just might stretch things a little when they talk about what their products can do for you. The Forbes article includes as examples the Taco Bell “diet” campaign and claims by Kellogg’s that Cocoa Krispies helps support your child’s immune system. According to the article, the FTC is taking notice. And that means increased scrutiny for all advertisers. If you are running ads that contain endorsements or testimonials, you might want to take a look at this link. It’s a good summary of some relevant FTC guidelines, and it has a link to the full text of the Guide. In this environment, you really can’t be too careful.