FTC Issues Enforcement Policy Statement; Taking a Closer Look at Native Advertising
Headline: FTC Issues Enforcement Policy Statement; Taking a Closer Look at Native Advertising
In December 2015, the FTC released an enforcement policy statement and business guidance document further clarifying the appropriate use of native advertising the full enforcement policy statement and guidance document can be found at the following links here and here.
A native advertisement is an ad that utilizes the existing framework of where it is displayed to ‘blend in’ and look like part of whatever medium it utilizes. Many people see native ads as something that was invented by the internet, however, native advertising has been used as long as advertising has been around; in the early 1900’s publications contained ‘stories’ that were actually sponsored ads hidden in radio serials and ‘sponsored’ drama series weren’t uncommon in the early days of television. (Native Advertising: Everything You Ever Wanted to Know) Today, native ads include sponsored Facebook posts and tweets, ‘recommended for you’ articles on the side of a webpage, even entire Buzzfeed lists can be sponsored by a brand.
The FTC’s main concern is that native ads follow Section 5 of the FTC Act, which prohibits ‘unfair or deceptive acts or practices in or affecting commerce … a representation, omission, or practice is deceptive if it is likely to mislead consumers acting reasonably under the circumstances and is material to consumers – that is, it would likely affect the consumer’s conduct or decisions with regard to a product or service.’ Since native advertisements ‘blend in’ they can be almost impossible to recognize as not part of the original site. Therefore, in most cases, advertisers must include a disclaimer in the ad that clearly labels that ad as an ‘advertisement’ the document even suggests how these disclosures should look and where they should live, in order to appropriately stand out.
Most native ads are already labeled to identify as advertisements. However, this new document is defining ‘clearly labeled’ a bit differently. A current common practice is to label ads as ‘sponsored by’ or ‘promoted by’. The thought is that these phrases, not including the actual word ‘advertisement’ may not clearly convey who is sponsoring or promoting the post and it could be cause consumers to mistakenly assume that the ads are from the publishing site – not an advertisement from a third party.
Where these stricter guidelines and presumed increased enforcement will lead the industry is not yet known. The IAB (Interactive Advertising Bureau) is currently reviewing the guidelines and a decision is yet to be made whether they will consider lobbying the FTC to change or clarify the language in the guidance document. ‘”While guidance serves great benefit to industry, it must also be technically feasible, creatively relevant, and not stifle innovation,” IAB VP of Public Policy Brad Weltman said in the IAB’s response. “To that end, we have reservations about some elements of the Commission’s Guidance.”’ (IAB Concerned About FTC Guidance On Native Advertising)
For now, we do not really know the full effect these new guidelines will have. In advertising, we are constantly pushing the limits and trying new things. We will have to wait and see how and if the FTC begins implementing penalties.
JMS Marketing Vetted by Google to Obtain Premier Digital Advertising Status
Northwest suburban marketing agency, JMS Marketing, is proud to announce that it has been recognized as a certified Google Partner.
Obtaining this partnership status signifies JMS Marketing uses Google’s best practices and allows the agency access to special events and training, industry research, product updates, and the Google Partners Community.
Partners meet rigorous qualification standards in order to become a Google Partner and are fully vetted by Google. The technology company completed its audit of JMS Marketing’s Google AdWords accounts by ensuring the agency is using Google’s best practices, checking if the agency is in good standing financially, and with clients and vendors. Google also confirmed the agency is continuously improving results for its clients by updating its accounts with the most up-to-date features within the platform.
“In celebrating our 25th year in business, JMS Marketing is making a concerted effort to evolve with the ever changing marketing landscape,” said President, Jean Marie Saidler. “Last year we established a digital marketing division within our company and have seen impressive results for our clients. Becoming a Google Partner is just another way we are ensuring our clients have the most relevant marketing initiatives to stay ahead in their industries. We look forward to utilizing this partnership to bring further value to our clients.”
Every year, JMS Marketing employees are required to take and pass at least one of the Google exams. Currently, JMS Marketing employees hold Google Analytics, Google AdWords, and Google Video Advertising certifications.
By becoming a Google Partner, JMS Marketing allows clients access to advertising on the Google Search Engine Results Page, Google Display Network, and on YouTube. The agency also offers a wide range of traditional marketing opportunities ranging from graphic design, advertising, trade show marketing, public relations, marketing consultations, and web design.
Do Cliché Slogans Work?
Happy Maewyn Succat Day!
Who and what is Maewyn Succat? You probably celebrate this person every year, though you may not realize it. People all over the world celebrate the day of Maewyn Succat’s death, March 17, though most people know this popular holiday by a more familiar name – St. Patrick’s Day.
The standard St. Patrick’s Day celebration in the United States consists of wearing green and shamrocks, novelty t-shirts, going to parades and of course – drinking green beer. However, it’s important to note that though green beer is a fixture in America on St. Patrick’s Day, the Irish traditionally don’t include it in their celebrations. This colorful libation is just one of many marketing elements built to meet consumers’ traditional expectations of the holiday.
Every community has a way of life, rituals and social behaviors that need to be considered (and respected) when marketing (to consumers or businesses). Yet creativity and ingenuity need not go down the drain at the expense of tradition. Many companies thrive on lifeless cliché sayings and phrases that are repeated every year. So much in fact that we become calloused to them and we can’t associate these clichés to any particular products or service. They become bland and overused, can position companies as being stale and out-of-date, and are really causing companies to miss out on what can be a very valuable marketing opportunity. Take this opportunity to pull away from the pack, be unique and think of clever and inspiring ways to position your brand during holiday seasons.
- People come from all over the world to take part in Chicago, Illinois’ vast and diverse St. Patrick’s Day experiences. Each year a highlight of these festivities is turning the Chicago River Emerald Green. This unique and grandiose tradition cannot be seen anywhere else in the world and helps to make Chicago a ‘must visit’ destination during the St. Patrick’s Day season.
- An office supply store took an interesting approach to ‘going green’. They used the season to launch a series of environmental initiatives designed to encourage customers and employees to recycle and purchase products made from recycled materials. The campaign promoted both ways to ‘go green’ and ‘save some green’.
- This year, Polk County, Georgia is helping dogs and cats ‘get lucky’! In this spin on the traditional St. Patrick’s Day theme of the ‘Luck o’the Irish’, Polk County Animal Control is dropping the cost of adoptions to $20 to help find available animals a home.
All of these examples are plays on traditional St. Patrick’s Day themes, but that went a little above and beyond. Take a chance, go outside the box and make your business stand out by taking a traditional theme and giving it that little twist, or boost to the next level.