Adlaw By Request : Advertising & Marketing Lawyer & Attorney : Reed Smith Law Firm : AdLaw By Request & KidAdLaw

Environmental Leader:  Study Finds 40% of U.S. Consumers Likely to Test Drive Evs
Forty percent of consumers say they are likely to test drive an electric vehicle, according to an online survey of American adults from the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA).

Environmental Leader:  FTC’s Green Guides Could Nullify Environmental Seals of Approval

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is on track to release an updated set of Green Guides that are used by the agency to enforce environmental marketing laws against unfair and deceptive advertising, reports Advertising Age. Experts tell the magazine that the pending guidelines could make about 300 environmental seals of approval useless.

FTC.gov:  Auto Warranty Robocaller To Pay $2.3 Million, Sell Mercedes For Consumer Redress

Consumer Redress Collected from All Defendants in Robocall Case Totals $3 Million

One of the telemarketers who blasted U.S. consumers with millions of illegal auto “warranty” robocalls last year will pay approximately $2.3 million, give up his Mercedes, and be barred from telemarketing, under a settlement with the Federal Trade Commission that wraps up the agency’s case against the deceptive operation. In sum, the FTC is collecting nearly $3 million to reimburse victims of the scam.

Court House News:  Facebook Gives Teachbook an F

Facebook claims schoolteachers copied its work and should get an F. The social networking site claims that Teachbook.com "rides on the coattails of the fame and enormous goodwill of the Facebook trademark" in "a blatant attempt to become Facebook 'for Teachers.'"

Reuters:  Jury awards $7.3 million in "Man from U.N.C.L.E." case

A Los Angeles jury has awarded $7.3 million to producer Anchor Bay Entertainment from a woman who was accused of selling rights to the classic TV series "Man from U.N.C.L.E." that she didn't own.

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Trackbacks
• Share Link

Las Vegas Sun:  New York-New York wins trademark suit over Internet domain name

MGM Resorts International has won a trademark infringement lawsuit involving its New York-New York hotel-casino on the Las Vegas Strip, with MGM Resorts winning rights to the potentially valuable Internet domain name newyorknewyork.com.

Tech Daily Dose:  Groups Call On Congress To Probe Internet Explorer's Privacy

Six privacy groups have called on the Senate and House Commerce committees to examine whether the latest version of Microsoft's Internet Explorer browser makes it easier for firms to track a consumer's Web surfing habits for advertising purposes.

FTC.gov:  FTC Halts Cross Border Domain Name Registration Scam

Thousands of Small Businesses and Non-profits Billed for Bogus Renewal Fees

The Federal Trade Commission has permanently halted the operations of Canadian con artists who allegedly posed as domain name registrars and convinced thousands of U.S. consumers, small businesses and non-profit organizations to pay bogus bills by leading them to believe they would lose their Web site addresses unless they paid. Settlement and default judgment orders signed by the court will bar the deceptive practices in the future.

PC Mag:  Google Extending Street View in Germany, Prompting Concern

Google will extend its Street View mapping service into Germany by the end of the year, but data protection officials said they were surprised by the fast-approaching deadline for residents to object to having their homes appear via Street View.

Excite News:  Paris Hilton sued for $35M for wearing wrong hair

Paris Hilton was sued Wednesday for allegedly wearing someone else's hair.
A company that manufactures hair extensions claimed the 29-year-old socialite breached her contract to wear and promote their product when she sported the fake locks of a competitor in 2008.

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Trackbacks
• Share Link

LA Times:  Lawmakers grill Internet firms over privacy protection

After a string of online privacy problems this year, legislators grilled Google Inc., Apple Inc., Facebook and others on Tuesday, seeking assurance that user information will be protected in the future.

Excite News:  Chicken producers debate 'natural' label

A disagreement among poultry producers about whether chicken injected with salt, water and other ingredients can be promoted as "natural" has prompted federal officials to consider changing labeling guidelines.

Reuters:  Google changes trademark ad policy in Europe

Google is set to allow advertisers in Europe to use rivals' trademarks when bidding for online ads in a move that will prevent big brand owners from controlling which ads appear during users' searches.

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Trackbacks
• Share Link

Environmental Leader:  Congress Set to Reform Law on Personal Care Product Safety

Jan Schakowsky, D-Ill., Ed Markey, D-Mass., and Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis., have introduced a bill that will reform the current law on the use of ingredients in personal care products including cosmetics, reports The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics.

Brandweek:  Looking Online to Verify Word-of-Mouth Recommendations

Word of mouth is all well and good, but a new Cone Inc. report indicates that consumers don't take it as gospel when deciding on purchases. With all due respect to Uncle So-and-so's opinion about what they should buy, people are looking online for information to support or rebut such advice.

ClickZ:  FTC Studying Do-Not-Track List for Online Ads

As the House inches forward on comprehensive privacy legislation that could have a major impact on online advertising, a Senate Committee met today to discuss online privacy issues. During the hearing, Federal Trade Commission Chairman Jon D. Leibowitz said multiple times that the agency is currently assessing the viability of a do-not-track list for online advertising.

Antitrust & Trade Regulation Daily:  House Passes Legislation To Regulate Fur Labeling

The House on July 28 passed the Truth in Fur Labeling Act (H.R. 2480), a bipartisan bill to improve the accuracy of labeling on fur products.

NY Times:  Congress Rethinks Its Ban on Internet Gambling

With pressure mounting on the federal government to find new revenues, Congress is considering legalizing, and taxing, an activity it banned just four years ago: Internet gambling.

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Trackbacks
• Share Link

Reuters:  Half of social networkers worried about privacy: poll

Half of Americans who have a profile on social networking sites such as Facebook and MySpace are worried about their privacy, according to a new poll.

MediaPost:  Story Study: Drug Ads Educate, Inform 

Those warnings of all the side effects that can arise from prescription medication may be distracting, but they seem to be doing their job of making consumers feel they're getting a fair and balanced picture of the product's benefits and risks.

FTC.gov:  FTC Joins New Asia-Pacific Multinational Network of Privacy Enforcement Authorities

APEC Cross-Border Cooperation Will Help Protect Consumers’ Privacy

Advancing its mission to protect consumers’ privacy as their data moves across borders, the Federal Trade Commission has joined an agreement with privacy enforcement authorities from other member economies of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation forum. The agreement provides a framework for agencies from different APEC member economies to help each other with enforcement investigations. It also enhances information sharing among these agencies.

MediaPost:  IAB: New Privacy Regulation Proposal In House Is 'Mixed Bag'

Privacy legislation introduced on Monday by Rep. Bobby Rush (D-Ill.), chairman of the consumer protection subcommittee, is a "mixed bag" for the online ad industry, says Interactive Advertising Bureau Vice President of Public Policy Mike Zaneis.

MediaPost:  DoubleVerify Launches Fraud Detection Lab 

Digital media-verification company DoubleVerify on Wednesday debuted a research arm to uncover fraudulent sites, as well as malware, spyware, adware and other forms of fraudulent online ads. The Advertising Fraud Detection Lab will investigate ad fraud in real-time and raise awareness of deceptive scams taking place online.

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Trackbacks
• Share Link

Reuters:  Twitter settles privacy charges with U.S.

Microblogging service Twitter has agreed to a settlement with the U.S. Federal Trade Commission over charges it put its customers privacy at risk by failing to safeguard their personal information.

Environmental Leader:  Survey Finds Consumers Still Buying ‘Green’ Products

U.S. consumers are buying the same or more environmentally responsible products, regardless of region, age, gender or state of the economy, according to a second annual survey commissioned by SCA and conducted by Harris Interactive.

Multichannel News:  Bill Would Preempt Multiple Net Taxes - NCTA, Verizon Support The Proposed Legislation

Let the online goods flow freely, or at least more freely.

That was the message Thursday from the Hill, where Reps. Rick Boucher (D-Va.) and Lamar Smith (R-Tex.) have introduced a bill that prohibits state and local duplicative taxation of Internet transactions. Boucher is chair of the House Communications Subcommittee, while Smith is the ranking member of the Judiciary Committee.

Environmental Leader:  Online Database to Compare Ecolabels

A new online database created by World Resources Institute (WRI) and Big Room Inc. will allow companies and consumers to compare claims between different environmental certifications for food and consumer products, according to a press release.

LA Times:  Wrigley agrees to settle lawsuit over ads for Eclipse gum

Chewing gum maker W.M. Wrigley Jr. has agreed to pay as much as $7 million and change how it markets and labels its Eclipse gum to settle a lawsuit that alleged its ads were misleading, attorneys for the plaintiffs said Tuesday.

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Trackbacks
• Share Link

Google News:  World Cup officials: Women were dressed to shill 

More than 30 women showed up at the Netherlands-Denmark match wearing orange mini-dresses emblazoned with the name of a Dutch brewery — earning them a red card from World Cup officials who acted to quash what they called an ambush marketing scam.

InformationWeek:  75% Of U.S. Households Use Social Networking

A Nielsen study shows Internet users spent an average of more than 6 hours a month on sites such as Facebook, MySpace, and Twitter during May.

U.S. consumers are spending more time online -- and devoting a growing percentage of those hours to social networking sites -- a trend expected to create a surge in spending on advertising to this audience.

Environmental Leader:  Marcal Adds Environmental Facts Panel on Paper Goods Packaging

Marcal Manufacturing claims to be the first U.S. paper goods brand to add an environmental facts panel on its packaging. The manufacturer of 100 percent recycled paper now highlights environmental data critical to its products manufacturing process on every Marcal Small Steps package.

FTC.gov:  Coming in 2011: New Labels for Light Bulb Packaging

Labels Will Emphasize Lumens, Not Watts, as a Measure of Bulb Brightness

Starting in mid-2011, the Federal Trade Commission announced today, consumers shopping for light bulbs will notice new labeling on packaging designed to help them choose among the different types of bulbs on the market – traditional incandescent bulbs, and newer high-efficiency compact fluorescent (CFL) and light-emitting diode (LED) bulbs. The new labels will enable consumers to save money by selecting the most efficient bulbs that best fit their lighting needs.

CNET:  FTC says current privacy laws aren't working

A U.S. Federal Trade Commission representative delivered a stern indictment of current privacy laws on Monday, saying they fail to protect American consumers and instead place too much of a "burden" on them.  

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Trackbacks
• Share Link

MediaPost:  Ad Groups File Brief In Tobacco Act Appeal

Citing wide-ranging implications for commercial free speech rights under the First Amendment, the Association of National Advertisers (ANA), the American Association of Advertising Agencies and the American Advertising Federation have filed a "friends of the court" brief in support of tobacco companies appealing a lower-court ruling that upheld the constitutionality of most of the regulations in the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act of 2009.

MediaPost:  Zogby Poll: Web Users Troubled By Behavioral Targeting 

The vast majority of U.S. residents are concerned about online tracking and ad targeting, according to a new Zogby International poll commissioned by telecom consultant Scott Cleland.

Environmental Leader:  Burt’s Bees, Whole Foods Perceived as Greenest US Brands

A global study on consumer perceptions of green brands and corporate environmental behavior reveals global differences about their top environmental concerns. A key finding shows that while climate change is important across most countries, 30 percent of Brazilians and 26 percent of Indians cite deforestation as the top issue, and in Australia, 68 percent of consumers say it’s important that companies manage water efficiently.

Tech Daily Dose:  Panel Backs Bill Targeting Misleading Online Tactics

The Senate Commerce Committee approved three bills Wednesday aimed at curbing texting and cell phone use while driving, loud television commercials and misleading online marketing tactics.

FTC:  At FTC's Request, Court Halts Massive Robocall Operation

Firm Delivered Tens of Millions of Prerecorded Calls and Used Offshore Shell Company

The Federal Trade Commission’s work to stop deceptive pre-recorded “robocalls” took another step forward today as a federal court halted a major telemarketing operation that made millions of illegal phone calls pitching worthless extended auto warranties and credit card interest rate-reduction programs. At the request of the FTC, a federal court judge in Chicago has entered an order stopping the operation’s calls, temporarily freezing its assets, and appointing a receiver to take control of the operation.

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Trackbacks
• Share Link

Europe Says Search Firms Are Violating Data Rules

European Union officials on Wednesday said Google, Microsoft and Yahoo had violated rules by keeping data on individual computer users for too long.

The Internet: That's Entertainment

Web's days as the 'information superhighway' are long gone

Remember when the Internet was the "information superhighway," putting the world's knowledge at your fingertips? Now, consumers are as likely to regard it as an entertainment medium. A survey released this month by Edelman examines some of the implications of this transformation for the ways in which consumers regard entertainment more broadly -- including the factors they value and are inclined to pay for.

Judge Rules for Don Henley in Ad Flap

Calif. senate candidate Chuck DeVore had used rocker's tunes as basis for campaign spots

A federal judge has tentatively ruled that California senatorial candidate Chuck DeVore violated rocker Don Henley's copyrights on two songs when he used them as the basis for campaign commercials posted on YouTube. In addition, the judge said that DeVore's infringement was likely willful.

E-Mail Named Tops for 'Targeting'

A newly released Datran Media survey of executives at Fortune 500 companies, publishing companies, media agencies and ad agencies finds e-mail and search regarded as the digital channels that worked best last year.

IAB: Boucher Bill Strikes At 'Heart And Soul Of Today's Internet Offerings'

Potential privacy legislation being floated by Rep. Rick Boucher "would fundamentally change online information and online advertising practices to the detriment of consumers," the Interactive Advertising Bureau said Friday in written comments to lawmakers.

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Trackbacks
• Share Link

Will Ad Industry Self-Regulate Behaviorally Targeted Ads?

How will behavioral ad targeting work in the long term? First-party ad targeting will have full disclosure on Web sites. Third-party targeting, ad targeting across multiple Web sites, should require disclosure in the ad. In absence of that disclosure, an opt-in feature, instead of opt-out, should appear on sites. This means the consumer would have to opt in to targeting. This scenario comes courtesy of Russell Glass, chief executive officer at Bizo, a business to business audience-targeting platform and advertising network.

Survey: More See Mobile Phones As 'Retail Tool Kit'

U.S. consumers are becoming increasingly comfortable with purchasing items from mobile phones, even those that have no direct connection to said devices.

According to an online survey of 1,000 adults conducted by the Mobile Marketing Association, 17% used their mobile phones to purchase applications, ringtones and other content. Additionally, 6% used their phones to receive coupons or discounts on items, and 6% used their phones to purchase physical goods or non-mobile content or services.

Parents group angry at title of CBS series

A parents group is threatening CBS affiliates with challenges to their broadcast licenses if they air the network's new comedy with a title that alludes to an obscenity.

Public Distrusts Social Networks

There's widespread concern about privacy on these networks, according to a new survey

The presence of one's near and dear on an online social network doesn't stop people from being wary of the network itself, according to the findings of a Vision Critical survey released this month.

Facebook adjusts privacy controls after complaints
 
In Facebook's vision of the Web, you would no longer be alone and anonymous. Sites would reflect your tastes and interests - as you expressed them on the social network - and you wouldn't have to fish around for news and songs that interest you.

Standing in the way is growing concern about privacy from Facebook users - most recently complaints that the site forced them to share personal details with the rest of the online world or have them removed from Facebook profiles altogether.

McDonald’s Recalls ‘Shrek’ Drinking Glasses Tainted with Cadmium

McDonald’s has voluntarily agreed to recall about 12 million “Shrek” drinking glasses after federal regulators reported that they found the toxic metal cadmium in them, reports the Los Angeles Times.

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Trackbacks
• Share Link

Environmental Leader: Renault Ad Banned Over Misleading Green Claims

An advertisement from Renault has been found to be misleading by the Advertising Standards Authority.

According to the UK watchdog, an ad for electric vehicles claimed “the well-to-wheel efficiency of a Renault Fluence Z.E. will help reduce CO2 emissions by at least 90% compared to a current Diesel model.”

Tech Daily Dose: First Internationalized Domain Names Go Live

The nonprofit group that manages the Internet's address system announced Thursday that the first non-Latin character domain names went live allowing those who speak Arabic to write some Internet addresses in their native language characters.

Ad Week: Consumers Want Companies to Mind Their Health

Consumers have come to believe that companies must behave in an environmentally responsible way. Now, a survey released by Edelman indicates that similar thinking is taking hold with regard to public health.

MediaPost: FDA Asked To Restrict Drug Marketers' Use Of Social Media

If pharmaceutical companies can't adequately explain the risks of drugs in 140 characters, they shouldn't be allowed to use Twitter to advertise. That's according to the consumer advocacy group Center for Digital Democracy, which on Monday asked the Food and Drug Administration to preserve current policies on drug marketing even if they hinder the use of social media.

Broadcasting & Cable: Study: Vast Majority of Live TV Viewers Sit Through Commercials

Not as many change channels as some may think

Some 86% of viewers stick with a given channel during the commercials, according to a study from the Council for Research Excellence (CRE), which tracked the live TV-consumption habits of 376 adults across over 750,000 minutes.

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Trackbacks
• Share Link

CNN: Senators call for Facebook changes

Four Democratic senators called on Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg on Tuesday to reconsider the recent changes in its privacy settings and asked the Federal Trade Commission to streamline guidelines regarding privacy on all social networks.

Excite News: NY court: Swedish author likely to lose fight 

A Swedish author is unlikely to win approval through the courts to publish his novel in the United States, because it is substantially similar to J.D. Salinger's "The Catcher in the Rye," an appeals court said Friday.

NY Times: Privacy Concerns Limit Online Ads, Study Says

Privacy advocates have had an impact on Madison Avenue after all, according to a new study.

Wall Street Journal: Lawmakers Draft Web-Ad Privacy Safeguards

Advertisers and Internet companies have been scrambling to head off regulation they say will hamper growth of online advertising. The pressure is expected to build Tuesday as lawmakers prepare to announce proposed privacy legislation.

NY Times: Advertising Consumer Groups Say Proposed Privacy Bill Is Flawed

A long-awaited draft of a Congressional bill would extend privacy protections both on the Internet and off line, but privacy advocates said the bill did not go far enough in protecting consumers.

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Trackbacks
• Share Link

Adage: Ad groups want new FTC regs out of financial reform

'Hidden' Clause Could Make Agencies Liable for Marketers' Ad Claims

Even as President Barack Obama was making his pitch for financial reform in New York today, the advertising industry was crying out against a provision in the bill that could extend FTC power to levels not seen since the 1970s.

Environmental Leader: Compliance, Not Marketing, Motivates Manufacturers to Adopt Sustainability

Manufacturers increasingly are viewing sustainability through the lense of compliance, instead of marketing, suggesting a shift in perception from opportunity to cost, according to “Sustainability Reporting and Greenhouse Gas Management—Sensing Market Trends and Evolution in U.S. Manufacturing,” a report (PDF) from AMR Research and SAP.

CNET: Senator calls on FTC to tackle social-net privacy

New York Senator Charles Schumer has come out swinging against new announcements by Facebook that modify how much member data is shared with third-party companies, suggesting that the Federal Trade Commission needs to promptly address the issue of social-network privacy.

FTC.gov: Women's Clothing Retailer Talbots and its Telemarketer to Pay Total of $161,000 for Violating FTC's Robocall 'Opt-Out' Requirements

Women’s clothing retailer Talbots and its California marketing company have agreed to pay penalties totaling $161,000 to settle Federal Trade Commission charges that they illegally delivered prerecorded “robocalls” that failed to give consumers proper notice of their right to opt out of receiving telemarketing calls. Talbots operates stores in 587 locations in 47 states, the District of Columbia, and Canada. It markets clothing under the Talbots brand, and prior to July 2009, also marketed clothing under the J. Jill brand.

FTC.gov: FTC to Mail Out $6 Million in Refunds to Consumers Who Bought Deceptively Advertised Weight-loss Supplements from QVC

Starting April 30, an administrator working for the Federal Trade Commission will mail more than 140,000 refund checks totaling about $6 million to consumers who bought certain “For Women Only” brand dietary supplements from TV home shopping channel QVC, Inc. Last year, QVC settled charges that it violated a 2000 FTC order by falsely claiming that the supplements would cause consumers to lose substantial amounts of weight and would allow them to eat fatty and high-carbohydrate foods without increasing their body fat. QVC was required to pay $6 million for consumer refunds as the result of a settlement agreement approved by the court in March 2009.

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Trackbacks
• Share Link

Adweek: E-Mail Named Tops for 'Targeting'

Search also scores well in new survey of digital marketing effectiveness

A newly released Datran Media survey of executives at Fortune 500 companies, publishing companies, media agencies and ad agencies finds e-mail and search regarded as the digital channels that worked best last year.

NY Times: Visual Artists to Sue Google Over Vast Library Project

As Google awaits approval of a controversial settlement with authors and book publishers, the company’s plan to create an immense digital library and bookstore may face yet another hurdle.

Brandweek: Opinion: Why Green Companies Should Go Clear Instead

It turns out that it is easy being green—too easy. As anyone who’s ever visited a supermarket lately has noticed, brands of all stripes have been slapping labels attesting to eco-friendliness on their products, making all manner of green claims and generally touting their membership in Club Green to anyone and everyone within sight. The problem is that overuse and misuse has robbed green of its meaning. Where once it meant planet-friendly (made with recycled materials, organically grown and the like), now it’s very often used to connote sustainability, with its far broader range of issues, ranging from Workers’ Compensation and Fair Trade to social activism. In sum, green can mean virtually anything. And that suggests it will eventually mean absolutely nothing.

Mediaweek: IAB to Conduct Outreach on Behavioral Targeting Ads

The Interactive Advertising Bureau, in conjunction with the ad network trade group Network Advertising Initiative, has announced a new tactic aimed at increasing consumer awareness surrounding behavioral targeting: telling people up front exactly why they are receiving a particular Web ad.

Nextgov: New social media rules lauded, but advocates note cookie policy omission

New regulations issued on Wednesday aimed at removing obstacles to using Internet-based tools for transparency are long overdue, said accountability groups and privacy advocates, but they pointed out a promised revision to an outdated ban on cookies was conspicuously absent.

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Trackbacks
• Share Link

Multichannel News:  Federal Appeals Court Rules Finance Law Contributions Are Unconstitutional

Decision Could Drop More Ad Dollars Into Mid-Term Election Cycle

A Washington D.C. court has handed down a ruling that could mean even more political ad money flowing into the mid-term election cycle.

Environmental Leader: U.S. Consumers Still Willing to Pay More for ‘Green’ Products

More than one-third (35 percent) of U.S. consumers say they would pay more for environmentally-friendly products, according to a survey on “green” living from market research firm Mintel.

Mediapost: What Type Of Social Media Ads Are The Most Effective? Now that social networks devour about a fifth of Web users' time, you might be wondering which ad formats are most effective on Facebook and its rivals.

Reuters: Infomercial fitness: Those six-pack abs as seen on TV

You're bemoaning your tummy roll when on the TV appear exquisitely toned specimens working out with gadgets that promise to rock, roll or wheel those love handles into abs to die for. Should you go for it?

Brandweek:  Survey: Consumers Prefer Socially Responsible Brands 

The recession has affected not only consumer wallets, but also brand perception. According to a new survey by firms Landor Associates, Penn Schoen Berland and Burson-Marsteller, transparency and corporate responsibility have become far more important to consumers in a tough economy.

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Trackbacks
• Share Link

Mediaweek: Patrolling Bad Behavior

New FTC powers, Boucher bill could crimp Web $$

The government may soon wield a great deal more power over the online advertising business, and that's quickly spreading fear across the entire ecosystem, including publishers, ad networks, agencies and even their clients.

NY Times: Europe Says Google Can Sell Trademarks but at a Risk of Suits

The European Union’s highest court on Tuesday gave Google broad latitude to sell advertising linked to trademarked names like Louis Vuitton, but said the search engine might have to do more to protect brand owners from infringements arising from the practice.

Excite News: European privacy battle looms for Facebook, Google

You have been tagged in 12 photos. Even if you're not signed up to the Web site.

European regulators are investigating whether the practice of posting photos, videos and other information about people on sites such as Facebook without their consent is a breach of privacy laws. 

Environmental Leader: 71% Aware of Energy Star Label Meaning

About 71 percent of Americans are aware of the Energy Star label and its implications, according to a new report from EcoAlign.

CNET: Study: Like it or not, behavioral ad targeting works

Want to get digital-policy regulator types fired up? Start talking about behavioral ad targeting, the business of serving up digital ads that are fine-tuned to a user's Web surfing habits, and you're sure to get all kinds of wildly varied opinions about privacy and sensitive data.

But a new study from a group called the Network Advertising Initiative, or NAI, claims that behavioral targeting is more than twice as effective as non-targeted ads, and the inventory from behavioral ads is worth double that of their non-targeted brethren. The study found that 6.8 percent of people who click on behaviorally targeted ads turn into buyers, versus 2.8 percent of those who click on non-targeted ads.

TriplePundit: Green Advertisers, Government Warned on Environmental Claims

In response to a proliferation of “green” or “environmentally friendly” claims in advertising, the British Committee of Advertising Practice (CAP) and the Broadcast Committee of Advertising Practice (BCAP) this week updated their codes of conduct for advertisers seeking to hawk their products as kind to the planet.

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Trackbacks
• Share Link

PC World: FTC Member Rips into Google's Privacy Efforts

Several major U.S. Internet companies, including Google and Facebook, need to "step up" and better protect consumer privacy or face tougher penalties from the U.S. Federal Trade Commission, a commissioner said Wednesday.

FTC.gov: Promoter of Credit Repair, Debt Relief Services to Settle FTC Charges

A promoter of credit repair and debt relief services has agreed to settle Federal Trade Commission charges that he deceived consumers into paying thousands of dollars based on false promises that he could help solve their credit and debt problems.

USA Today: More cities ban digital billboards

As the USA cracks down on texting while driving, more than a dozen cities around the nation have banned what some consider a growing external driving distraction: digital billboards.

Mediaweek: Web Video Audience OK With More Ads, Report

Hulu is leaving some serious money on the table.

While its parents companies NBC Universal, News Corp. and Disney wrestle with the possibility of imposing a subscription fee on Hulu to offset what they perceive as lost ad revenue from TV, they might be better off simply dialing up the number of ads that run on the site, according to comScore.

CNET: More Americans use TV, Internet at same time

The marriage of TV and the Internet continues with a new Nielsen report finding more people surfing the Web and watching TV at the same time.

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Trackbacks
• Share Link

Environmental Leader: Mislabeled Plastic Bottles Vex PET Recyclers
These days, almost every plastic bottle indicates that it’s recyclable. As far as two plastics recycling associations are concerned, that’s just the problem.

A preponderance of bottles falsely labeled as PET or PET-compatible is causing problems for recycling companies, reports PlasticsNews

Adage: Big Pharma Urges FDA to Adopt New Rules for Web Marketing

Seeks 'Good Housekeeping Seal'-Type Approval for Ads on Web, Social Media

Big Pharma is making one last push to the Food and Drug Administration urging the regulatory agency to quickly adopt new guidelines for marketing on the web and using social-media tools.

DIRECT: EBay Sued for Violating Disabilities Act

A federal class-action lawsuit filed against eBay claims that the auction website discriminates against hearing impaired because it requires potential sellers to verify their identity via telephone. The suit, Earll v. eBay, was filed on March 16 in Springfield, MO.

LA Times: Judge approves $9.5-million settlement of lawsuit over Facebook's Beacon program

The social networking site denied wrongdoing but agreed to end the program, which published what users were buying, last November.

After reviewing objections, a San Jose federal judge has approved a $9.5-million settlement of a class-action lawsuit over social networking site Facebook's Beacon program that published what users were buying.

SF Gate: S.F. lawyer awarded $7,000 from e-mail spammer

A judge has awarded a San Francisco attorney $7,000 in damages in a rare trial under California's anti-spam law - $1,000 for each unsolicited, misleading commercial e-mail he received.

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Trackbacks
• Share Link

Excite News: 'Wardrobe malfunction' fine to be reconsidered

A federal appeals court will re-examine the FCC fine it threw out against CBS over Janet Jackson's "wardrobe malfunction" during the 2004 Super Bowl halftime show.

Adage: How Jeff Bridges Voice-overs Imperiled Hyundai's Oscars Blitz

Kim Basinger, Richard Dreyfuss and Others Helped Hyundai Comply With Oscars Rules at the Last Second

Hyundai Motor America was all ready to bombard this year's Oscars with a raft of commercials -- seven different spots were locked, loaded and ready to go. With just a few weeks to go before the March 7 ceremony, however, the company was told its commercials were unfit for air.

Atlanta Journal-Constitution: New York soda tax proposal pours a big glass of controversy

At first glance, it doesn't sound like much: A tax of one cent per ounce on sodas in New York. But the line item in New York Governor David Paterson's budget reverberates from Albany, N.Y., to Washington, D.C., and down to Atlanta. Ripples could be felt across the country.

NY Times: A Cover Ad That Mimics a Newspaper’s Front Page

The entire first page of The Los Angeles Times on Friday was an ad that looked, in part, like the front page of The Los Angeles Times, as the newspaper again tested the accepted limits on where ads can be published and how they can blur the boundary with news.

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Trackbacks
• Share Link

NY Times: Anger Leads to Apology From Google About Buzz

Google moved quickly over the weekend to try to contain mounting criticism of Buzz, its social network, apologizing to users for features that were widely seen as endangering privacy and announcing product changes to address those concerns.

Adweek: Gauging Customer Loyalty

Consumers approve of rewards programs ... sort of

Getting new customers is expensive, which is why sensible marketers toil to keep the ones they've already got -- and to get them buying as often as possible. As such, loyalty programs have become a conspicuous part of the marketing landscape. But how do consumers feel about such programs? A recently released survey by the Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) Council takes a close look.

Excite News: Privacy group files FTC complaint on Google Buzz

A privacy watchdog group complained to federal regulators on Tuesday about Google's new Buzz social networking service, saying it violates federal consumer protection law.

Brandweek: Behavioral Targeting to Grow

With the effective mixing and mining of audience data becoming increasingly important to online advertisers, the role of behavioral targeting has grown more central, according to eMarketer.

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Trackbacks
• Share Link

NY Times: FTC Moves May Signal Start of 'Greenwashing' Crackdown

The Federal Trade Commission is expected to crack down on "greenwashing" when it updates its environmental marketing guidelines for the first time since 1998.

MSNBC: Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig settle over ad

A weighty battle between the two companies over ad campaign

Jenny Craig has agreed to end an ad campaign featuring actress Valerie Bertinelli as part of a legal settlement with Weight Watchers International, the dueling companies said Friday.

NY Times: Of Dr. Seuss and Coal Gasification

The company that protects the copyrights on the works of Theodor Geisel, better known as the children’s book author Dr. Seuss, has sent a cease-and-desist letter to a Massachusetts company looking to get into the coal business under the name Lorax — the title character of a story published in 1971.

Portfolio.com: NFL: The Kia Ad Should Have Stayed in Vegas

The casino conglomerate MGM Mirage pulled off an end run around the NFL’s ban on Las Vegas advertising during Sunday’s Super Bowl thanks to a Kia Motors ad—and the NFL is not pleased.

DIRECT Mag:  Digital Marketing Growth Will Be Fueled By Social, Mobile, E-mail: Study

The boom areas for marketing should come as no surprise: Mobil, e-mail and search engine marketing growth will spur a 17% increase in digital marketing spending, according to a study from e-mail and marketing firm ExactTarget.

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Trackbacks
• Share Link

NY Times: A Little ‘i’ to Teach About Online Privacy

A LITTLE blue symbol is carrying big implications.

Trying to ward off regulators, the advertising industry has agreed on a standard icon — a little “i” — that it will add to most online ads that use demographics and behavioral data to tell consumers what is happening.

Forbes: FTC To Silicon Valley: Tech Companies Should Protect Consumer Data

Washington wants to know: Why can't technology protect consumers' privacy instead of violating it?

The Federal Trade Commission met today in Berkeley, Calif., with corporate technology leaders and privacy advocates, challenging them to create ways to protect consumer privacy online. The FTC is encouraging technology companies such as Facebook and Apple to come up with self-regulatory tactics that will protect consumers without squashing corporate innovation.

NY Times: F.D.A. Aims at Doctors’ Drug Pitches

In the rarefied world of fashion magazines, beauty editors have often relied on a coterie of prominent dermatologists and plastic surgeons to keep them current on advances in cosmetic medicine. This symbiotic relationship has benefited magazines eager for beauty scoops and doctors seeking visibility — and patients.

But now the Food and Drug Administration has cracked down on one of the most widely quoted cosmetic doctors, sending shudders through the ranks of opinion leaders in fashion publishing and vanity medicine.

Multichannel Merchant: Live from NRF: Consumers Want Cross-Channel Synergy

As a merchant, you may consider yourself to be multichannel. But the customer views your bricks-and-mortar stores and Website as one entity, according to a survey shown Monday at the National Retail Federation's Annual Convention and Expo.

ABC News: Google's Digital Book Settlement Still Under Fire

Google's digital book settlement ripped by rivals, critics trying to get judge to reject deal

Google Inc.'s bid to secure the digital rights to millions of books remains under attack from rivals and other critics trying to block a revised legal settlement that would unlock a vast electronic library.

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Trackbacks
• Share Link

Environmental Leader: 72% of UK Consumers: Give Us Carbon Footprint Labels on Food

New research from the Newcastle Business School at Northumbria University suggests that nearly three-quarters of UK shoppers are in agreement with government plans to go forward with a voluntary carbon footprint label on food items.

Environmental Leader: Taiwan Working on Carbon Footprint Labeling for CPGs

Taiwan is the latest nation to float a plan to label the carbon footprint of common consumer packaged goods, following in the footsteps of the UK and Sweden.

TV Week: Longform Ads Pull in Revenue but Raise Ethics Questions

The package is presented like something you’d see on the local news rather than like a traditional infomercial. Sometimes it resembles a lengthy feature story; other times it’s an interview with a local doctor or businessman, or a roundup of local tourist destinations.

Excite News: 4 nations clear hurdle for non-Latin Web names

Egypt, Russia, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates are the first countries to win preliminary approval for Internet addresses written entirely in their native scripts.

Environmental Leader: Wal-Mart, Best Buy, HP, Dell, Toshiba Establish ‘Green’ Electronics Label

Retailers Wal-Mart and Best Buy, together with electronics suppliers Dell, HP, Intel and Toshiba, have banded together to create a system to help consumers identify “green” electronics, according to a press release.

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Trackbacks
• Share Link

NY Times: Judge Lifts Some Tobacco Ad Limits

A federal judge in Kentucky issued a mixed ruling Tuesday in the first significant legal challenge to the new federal law regulating tobacco products.

DIRECT: Smartphone Users Will Buy, If Site Allows: Survey

Here’s good news for marketers who have invested in mobile marketing platforms: Smartphone users will make purchases using their handheld devices. But here’s some bad news: Potential customers will hang up if a retailer’s mobile site functionality is poor.

NY Times: Coat Maker Transforms Obama Photo Into Ad

A garment company in New York known for publicity stunts has seized the attention of the Obama administration.

Environmental Leader: UK Government Calls for Food Labels to Show Carbon Footprint

Supermarket food in the UK will be labeled to show its carbon footprint, country of origin and animal welfare standards as part of the government’s new food strategy for the next 20 years, reports the Telegraph. The voluntary “green” food labels will show how much carbon was produced in the manufacture and transportation of food, according to the article.

Environmental Leader: Finnair Green Ad Banned

The Advertising Standard Authority (ASA), the UK’s advertising watchdog, has banned a Finnair ad claiming that it is eco-smart for travelers to use the Finnish airline, reports Electric News. ASA also recommends that airlines choose their ad words carefully when promoting their green credentials, according to the article.

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Trackbacks
• Share Link

Environmental Leager: 85% of Americans Expect to Reduce Household Energy Use in 2010

As New Year’s Day 2010 approaches, more Americans say they are resolved to improve household energy consumption and recycling, according to a survey by Tiller LLC.

Environmental Leader: Survey Reveals Ethical Sales Tripled over Decade in UK

Consumer spending on “ethical” products ranging from Fairtrade goods to “green” products for the home has almost tripled in the UK in the past decade, according to the Co-operative Bank’s Ethical Consumerism Report 2009, which measures ethical spending in Britain, reports The Guardian.

Brandweek: BrandShield Tool to Debut

As the Web becomes more fragmented, and as more and more online advertising is sold through third and fourth parties via networks and exchanges, major brands are taking extra steps to ensure that their campaigns run exactly as planned.

FTC.gov: FTC Approves Two Reports to Congress on the National Do Not Call Registry

The Federal Trade Commission, as required by The Do-Not-Call Registry Fee Extension Act of 2007, has approved two reports to Congress: a biennial report focusing on the use of the Do Not Call Registry by both consumers and businesses, as well as the impact that new technologies have had on the Registry, and a one-time report on enforcement efforts and consumers’ perceptions of the Registry’s effectiveness.

Environmental Leader: Save the Earth Sues Honda Over Trademark Infringement

Environmental group Save the Earth Enterprises, claiming that a Honda Civic commercial infringes upon its logo, filed suit Dec. 23.

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Trackbacks
• Share Link

Brandweek: IRI Unveils Service for Measuring Online Ad Effectiveness

Research firm Information Resources Inc. has introduced a new platform for measuring the effectiveness of online advertising against offline sales. The move comes as packaged goods marketers spend more ad dollars on the Web, but keep a close check on ROI.

Brandweek: Packaged Goods Makers Ramp Up Green Investments

According to research by food and grocery expert IGD, 85 percent of consumer packaged goods manufacturers have either increased their investment in sustainability or kept it the same during the recession, in spite of the fact that just over two-fifths (42 percent) think the issue isn’t a high-enough area of concern for consumers.

Google News: House votes to turn down volume of noisy TV ads

The House on Tuesday voted to level off the abrupt spikes in volume felt by television viewers during commercial breaks.

Environmental Leader: Business Leaders Launch TV Ads Supporting Energy, Climate Legislation

We Can Lead, a network of 150 U.S. companies and business leaders, have put in motion a $1 million television advertising campaign in support of comprehensive energy and climate legislation.

Excite News: French court rules against Google in books case

A Paris court ruled Friday that Google Inc. is breaking French law with its policy of digitizing books, handing the U.S. Internet giant a euro10,000 ($14,300)-a-day fine until it rids its database of the literary extracts.

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Trackbacks
• Share Link

Adweek: Do Ads Motivate You to Switch?

A majority said ads rarely or never prompt them to switch brands of a product they usually use

Let's call it a backhanded tribute to the advertising industry that relatively few respondents to an AdweekMedia/Harris Poll said ads "never" sway them to switch brands of a product they usually use.

NY Times: Seeking a Symbol for ‘This Ad Knows About You’

With a lot of prodding from the Federal Trade Commission, the Internet advertising industry has committed to telling Web site users about how they collect and use data to customize the ads they display. And it has agreed to find a more prominent and clear way to do this than the cryptic privacy policies you can find if you click a tiny link at the bottom of many Web pages.

NY Times: Yahoo Launches Tool Allowing Users to Control Targeted Ads

Yahoo on Monday rolled out a new tool to allow users of its advertising networks to control what targeted ads they receive, in response to growing demand from consumers.

NY Times: Groups Far Apart on Online Privacy Oversight

IF online privacy was once an obscure policy subject, it has come front and center. That much was apparent at the standing-room-only roundtable on privacy and technology that the Federal Trade Commission held here on Monday.

Adweek: TV's Popularity on the Rise

34% of Americans cite TV as favorite medium, up from '08

Even though Americans are pushing domestic box-office revenue to new highs, an increasing number of them are indicating they'd rather save money and watch television.

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Trackbacks
• Share Link

Excite News: Government delays new ban on Internet gambling

The Treasury Department and the Federal Reserve are giving U.S. financial institutions an additional six months to comply with regulations designed to ban Internet gambling.

Adweek: Ad Groups Fight Tobacco Act

ANA, 4A's and AAF claim regulations are unconstitutional

Three key industry groups have mounted a challenge to new tobacco laws.

The Association of National Advertisers, the American Association of Advertising Agencies and the American Advertising Federation filed a "friend of the court" brief in a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act.

InfoWorld: Court orders 'spam gang' network to pay $15.2 million

The international operation sent billions of spam e-mail messages, the FTC says

A U.S. district court judge has ordered the largest "spam gang" in the world to pay nearly $15.2 million for sending unsolicited e-mail messages marketing male-enhancement pills, prescription drugs, and weight-loss supplements, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission said Monday.

Reuters: EBay fined by Paris court over LVMH sales

A French court fined eBay Inc 1.7 million euros ($2.6 million) for violating a 2008 injunction that prevents French users of the online auction site from buying or selling LVMH perfumes and cosmetics on any eBay website.

Mediaweek: Nielsen Accelerates Single-Source Meter Rollout

Urged by clients to move faster, Nielsen responded Tuesday (Dec. 1) with a plan to accelerate the rollout of the Internet meter to its national people meter sample. The plans call for Nielsen to complete the roll out by Aug. 31, 2010, instead of some time in 2011.

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Trackbacks
• Share Link

Google News: Google, Yahoo call for expanded online drug ads

Google, Yahoo and other Web companies joined the pharmaceutical industry Thursday in urging federal regulators to make it easier to pitch drugs in online advertisements.

Excite News: Swiss privacy watchdog to sue Google Street View

Google Inc.'s unstoppable drive to map and photograph the world has run into an immovable object - Switzerland's strict tradition of personal privacy.

Excite News: Twitter to scrap controversial suggested user list

Social-media site Twitter plans to scrap its hand-picked list of "suggested users" to follow after controversy erupted over the selection of people on the list, a company executive said Monday.

Media Decoder: N.F.L. Blows Whistle on Promotion for Liquor Brand

The National Football League is calling a halt to a promotion for Captain Morgan rum after a player struck a pose during a game that invoked the rum’s brand character.

Media Daily News: Star Power: Celeb Endorsements Click With Younger Demos

A new worldwide report by Mediaedge:cia says 30% of 18- to-34-year-olds would try a product promoted by a celebrity. Older consumers are much more resistant. Conversely, consumers 35-54 years old are moved only 14% of the time by celebrity endorsers. That number is steeper -- at 11% -- for those 55 plus.

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Trackbacks
• Share Link

Broadcasting & Cable: ATSC Makes Progress On Loudness Problem

Approves recommended practice for broadcasters to follow

The Advanced Television Systems Committee (ATSC), the U.S. digital TV standards body, has formally approved technical guidelines that networks and stations can follow to avoid wide variations in volume between different programs and excessive loudness in commercials.

Excite News: FDA warns Web companies not to sell flavored cigs

The Food and Drug Administration said Friday that it has warned several companies to stop selling banned flavored cigarettes to U.S. consumers online.

ClickZ: EU Adopts Law Requiring User Consent for Cookies

The EU has passed a law requiring internet users' consent before cookies can be placed on their machines. The development could have huge implications for the online advertising industry, much of which uses cookies for functions such as ad targeting and audience segmentation.

Adweek: Good Old Longevity! It Has Appeal in Ads

With the recession driving companies out of business, some of the older ones that have survived (so far) make a point of mentioning their longevity in their ad campaigns. While this assures consumers they're not fly-by-night outfits, does it also make such companies seem stodgy and/or old-fashioned?

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Trackbacks
• Share Link

Dow Jones Newswire: FTC To Target Advertisers, Not Bloggers, In New Guidelines

The Federal Trade Commission doesn't intend to bring individual cases against bloggers or tweeters who accept cash or gifts to tout a company's products or services, an FTC official said Wednesday.

Excite News: Book scanning prompts review of EU copyright laws

The European Commission said Monday it may revise copyright law to make it easier for companies like Google Inc. to scan printed books and distribute digital copies over the Internet. 

Environmental Leader: Samsung Pays $205K for False Environmental Claims About Keyboard

Samsung, having advertised that its keyboards were antimicrobial and could inhibit germs and bacteria, found itself in the cross-hairs of the Environmental Protection Agency.

Environmental Leader: Sweden Mandates Carbon Emissions Labels on Food

New labels listing the carbon dioxide emissions associated with the production of foods, from whole wheat pasta to fast food burgers, are appearing on some grocery items and restaurant menus in Sweden, which is expected to cut the nation’s emissions from food production by 20 to 50 percent, reports the New York Times.

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Trackbacks
• Share Link

Multichannel: Now Hear This: House Subcommittee Approves Commercial Loudness Bill

CALM, Passing By Voice Vote, Referred To Full Energy & Commerce Committee

The House Communications Subcommittee has approved a bill that would require the broadcast and cable industries, which includes satellite and other multichannel video providers, to regularize the volume of advertisements and the programming surrounding them.

CNET: Yes, new FTC guidelines extend to Facebook fan pages

Prominent users of Twitter and Facebook won't be exempt from controversial new Federal Trade Commission guidelines that keep tabs on blogger freebies and giveaways, according to Richard Cleland, associate director for the FTC's advertising division. The agency absolutely plans to keep tabs on social networks as well as blogs in accordance with revised regulations that could see violators fined up to $11,000, he said.

Environmental Leader: ‘Valuable,’ ‘Smart’ Among Top Descriptors Associated with Energy Efficiency

When consumers think about energy efficiency and energy conservation, “value” and “smart” are the adjectives that most come to mind, according to “Green Gap Redux: Green Words Gone Wrong,” a report from EcoAlign. The report is based on results from the EcoPinion Survey.

Mediaweek: Web Users Prefer E-mail Interaction With Marketers, Says Study

Web users are far more willing to share personal information with marketers via email than on social networking sites, according to new research commissioned by lead generation specialty firm Pontiflex.

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Trackbacks
• Share Link

Environmental Leader: E-Waste Recycling Bill Floated in Senate

As more and more states institute electronics recycling programs, a U.S. Senator has proposed federal legislation that would standardize the recycling of electronics devices, reports Circuits Assembly.

Brandweek: Social Net Ads: Fewer Clicks, More Engagement

Conventional wisdom holds that social media advertising does not perform nearly as well as ads running on non-social sites, at least by standard measurements like clicks.

Reuter: U.S. lawmakers urge delay in Internet gambling rules

U.S. House Financial Services Committee Chairman Barney Frank and other lawmakers on Friday urged regulators to delay the December 1 implementation of financial rules to enforce a ban on Internet gambling.

Washington Post: FTC Sets Endorsement Rules for Blogs

Bloggers who offer endorsements must disclose any payments they have received from the subjects of their reviews or face penalties of up to $11,000 per violation, the Federal Trade Commission said Monday.

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Trackbacks
• Share Link

MediaPost: Publicis Warns Online Publishers To Be Vigilant Against Rogue Insertion Orders

In an effort to head off potential liabilities and threats to its clients' reputations from rogue media buyers posing as legitimate online marketers, Publicis Groupe last week sent letters to publishers putting them on notice that they must take steps to manually confirm any requests for insertion orders they receive from a Publicis agency that looks questionable or comes from a source they are not familiar with. "We have read with increasing alarm the press surrounding rogue software and malicious advertising that is being placed on Web sites by individuals pretending to represent legitimate insertion requests," reads a copy of one of the letters from Publicis' Starcom unit, a copy of which was obtained by OnlineMediaDaily.

PC World: Facebook Will Shut Down Beacon to Settle Lawsuit

Facebook has agreed to shut down its much maligned Beacon advertising system in order to settle a class-action lawsuit.

BNET: FDA to Hold Hearing on Social Media, Web 2.0; Long Overdue Guidance Could Be On Its Way

The FDA is to hold a public hearing on how drug companies use the web and other social media to promote pharmaceuticals. The news will be greeted warmly by the industry which for years has been complaining that brand managers do not know how far the FDA will allow them to go in media such as Google ads, Twitter, Facebook, and even on their own web sites.

Environmental Leader: New York Launches Green Hospitality Certification Program

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) has launched a new initiative to certify lodging establishments as "green" for employing environmentally friendly and sustainable practices. Forty-three hotels and inns have signed on as initial participants for the certification process.

Environmental Leader: ‘Natural,’ ‘Recyclable,’ ‘Renewable’ Terms Resonate Most with Consumers

About 84 percent of consumers think of "green" products as those that are made of recyclable or reusable material, or include such packaging, according to new research from Grail Research.

Adweek: Ad Tracking Widely Opposed, Study Says 60% of U.S. adults don't want to be shown ads based on their interests

It has long been an article of faith among advertisers that consumers want more relevant advertising. Yet a new academic report finds that most Americans are opposed to marketers tracking them to tailor ad messages.

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Trackbacks
• Share Link

Environmental Leader: Consumers Identify with Environmental Impact Issues

Consumer awareness of the environmental impact generated by various products has risen significantly since 2004. In particular, more consumers have begun to realize that the impact of appliances, electronics, and electricity is important, according to the Natural Marketing Institute.

Excite News: Congress weighs landmark change in Web ad privacy

The Web sites we visit, the online links we click, the search queries we conduct, the products we put in virtual shopping carts, the personal details we reveal on social networking pages - all of this can give companies insight into what Internet ads we might be interested in seeing.

DIRECT: Florida AG Sues Systemax Over Rebate Allegations

Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum has sued Systemax, and its subsidiaries, Tigerdirect and Onrebate, over allegations the companies failed to pay advertised rebates to consumers.

Environmental Leader: ANSI Approves Green Seal for Restaurants

Restaurants seeking to be “green” have another measure of confidence now that the American National Standards Institute has approved the Green Seal Environmental Standard for Restaurants and Food Services (Gs-46).

NY Times: Media Group to Research New Methods for Ratings

Tacitly displaying their frustration with the country’s chief source for television ratings, 14 media companies and advertisers said Thursday that they had formed a research organization to pursue new methods to measure audiences.

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Trackbacks
• Share Link

Brandweek: 'Green' Consumers Out to Save Money

Green consumers are more concerned about saving money than saving the planet, according to new research from advertising agency the Shelton Group. The study found that while 59 percent of green consumers identify the economy as their top concern in making purchases, a mere 8 percent consider the environment. 

DIRECT: Alleged Supplement DMers Fined Nearly $70 Million

A federal district court has ordered the marketers of two dietary supplements –Supreme Greens and Coral Calcium – who claimed the products would cure ailments ranging from cancer and Parkinson’s disease to heart disease and autoimmune diseases to pay nearly $70 million for deceiving consumers about the products’ effectiveness and safety, according to the Federal Trade Commission.

FTC.gov: FTC Settlement Bars Seller's Deceptive 'Biodegradable' Claims

A retailer of rayon towels will be barred from making false claims that mislead consumers into thinking that its products are "biodegradable," under a proposed settlement with the Federal Trade Commission.

Environmental Leader: Green Meetings and Events Guidelines Drafted

To help businesses conduct more environmentally conscious meetings and events, a new set of guidelines has been drafted by members of the Convention Industry Council.

LA Times: Tobacco firms R.J. Reynolds and Lorillard sue to block marketing restrictions

The companies and others joining the suit allege provisions in the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act violate the 1st Amendment.

Two of the three largest U.S. tobacco companies sued Monday to block marketing restrictions in a law that gives the Food and Drug Administration authority over tobacco, alleging the provisions violate their right to free speech.

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Trackbacks
• Share Link

Environmental Leader: EU: Nearly 4,000 Airlines Must Reduce Emissions or Face Ban

The European Union (EU) has released a list of nearly 4,000 companies including commercial airlines, private jet operators and air forces around the globe that must reduce their emissions or face a European airport ban, reports DW-World.de.

DIRECT: Reward Program Communication Lacking: Study

Don’t be surprised to find your loyal customers are greeting their rewards statement with a shrug. According to a recent study, more than two-thirds of all consumers rate their satisfaction with their statements seven or lower on a scale of one to ten.

Excite News: Facebook agrees with Canada on privacy controls

Facebook agreed Thursday to give users more control over the information they share with third-party applications like games and quizzes in response to concerns raised by Canadian privacy officials.

Excite News: FTC to ban most telemarketing 'robocalls' Sept. 1

Many of those annoying prerecorded telemarketing calls will be history starting Sept. 1.

The Federal Trade Commission said Thursday that it is banning these "robocalls" to consumers, unless the telemarketer has written permission from a customer that he or she wants to receive these calls.

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Trackbacks
• Share Link

PCMag: Web Ad Group Pushes For Ethical Blogging

The Federal Trade Commission is currently investigating fair blogging practices, but an advertising group is one step ahead, and has forced two companies to clearly disclose their relationship with the health-related products they promote via blogs and Web sites.

Environmental Leader: UK Food Label Would Show Items’ Environmental Impact

The UK may implement a food labeling scheme that details elements such as the number of miles from the source to the UK - a.k.a. food miles - as well as the amount and type of chemicals used on the product.

Environmental Leader: FTC Charges Clothing Firms With ‘Bamboo-zling’ The Public

Four companies selling clothing marketed as made from bamboo have been charged by the Federal Trade Commission with deceptive advertising and marketing claims.

Environmental Leader:  Green Guide Helps Businesses Prevent Greenwashing

Firms that want to prevent customers frustration over green claims that can be misconstrued as “greenwashing” should develop a framework that incorporates more effective communication that aligns with the true impacts of their environmental initiatives, according to a new report.

Environmental Leader:  Good Company Seal: Responsible Firms Only Apply

A new seal of approval is intended to steer consumers to companies that operate under best practices in corporate social responsibility, including the environment.

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Trackbacks
• Share Link

Environmental Leader: Consumers Want More Green Info at Retail Level

About 40 percent of shoppers say they are left wanting when it comes to green information at the retail store level, according to a new report from Miller Zell.

Broadcasting & Cable: Ad Industry Gears Up for Battles With Washington

Health care, behavioral marketing and kids' TV among myriad fronts

Up to now, advertisers and agencies have dodged a bullet on one of the administration's marquee issues: health-care reform. They've mounted a successful campaign to block an amendment that would help pay the tab for health care with billions in new taxes on TV drug ads. But the battling has only begun, and a years-long war over ad-related issues that could threaten billions of dollars in spending is on the horizon.

NY Times: Notice Those Ads on Blogs? Regulators Do, Too

BLOGGERS, be warned. Advertisers, you too.

Two of the National Advertising Review Council’s investigative units plan to announce Tuesday their first decisions involving blogs. Their recommendations call for clear disclosure when a company is sponsoring a site or paying for product reviews.

BBC News: Rivals bid to snatch green domain

Rival environmental groups are lining up supporters to try to take control of a new net domain aimed at green groups.

At least two consortiums are known to be preparing bids to control .eco.

In March this year, former US vice president Al Gore backed a bid by the California group Dot Eco to operate the proposed "top level domain" (TLD).

But now a Canadian environmental group known as Big Room has launched a competing bid to manage the TLD, which is similar to .com or .uk.

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Trackbacks
• Share Link

FTC.gov: End of the Line for Financial Telemarketer Who Violated Do Not Call Rules

Court Order Imposes Five-Year Ban on Telemarketing to Consumers

A financial services telemarketer who allegedly violated several requirements of the Federal Trade Commission’s Do Not Call Rule – from calling hundreds of thousands of consumers on the National Do Not Call Registry to failing to transmit accurate caller ID information – has settled the government’s charges and is banned from telemarketing to consumers for five years.

Environmental Leader: USDA ‘BioPreferred’ Label Intended for Retail Shelves

A new federal ‘BioPreferred’ label would give marketers of certain products - those composed “wholly or significantly of renewable plant, animal, marine or forestry materials” - a new way to present their products on retail shelves. Additionally, companies using the items in their operations might be able to claim a certain level of environmental stewardship.

NY TimesFresh Views at Agency Overseeing Online Ads

Most of the online world is based on a simple, if unarticulated, agreement: consumers browse Web sites free, and in return, they give up data — like their gender or income level — which the sites use to aim their advertisements.

The new head of the Bureau of Consumer Protection at the Federal Trade Commission, David C. Vladeck, says it is time for that to change. In an interview, Mr. Vladeck outlined plans that could upset the online advertising ecosystem. Privacy policies have become useless, the commission’s standards for the cases it reviews are too narrow, and some online tracking is “Orwellian,” Mr. Vladeck said.

InternetNews.com: Facebook Tightens Ad Guidelines

The social media site folds privacy policies into ad guidelines, warning that violators will be booted from the site.

Attention Facebook advertisers: If you don't follow the rules, you'll be banned.

The social networking giant this week updated its guidelines for advertisers to include stricter privacy policies, curtailing the potential for behavioral ad targeting.

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Trackbacks
• Share Link

Broadcasting & Cable: Ad Community Concerned About New Financial Services Agency

Agency would police the financial services and products markets in the wake of the financial meltdown

The House Financial Services Committee is holding a hearing next week on a bill that has the advertising community worried. The bill is the administration-backed H.R. 3126, which would create a new Consumer Financial Protection Agency.

Excite News: Jackson Browne, Republicans settle lawsuit

Jackson Browne has settled a lawsuit and received an apology from Sen. John McCain and the Republican Party over use of his song "Running on Empty" during last year's presidential campaign.

Adweek: Poll Finds Ad People, General Public Out of Sync

If an ad makes you "stop and think," is it apt to be very effective? How about if it gives you "new information"? In a LinkedIn Research Network/Harris Poll, majorities of professionals involved in decision-making about ad campaigns thought such advertising would work quite well. Alas, their opinion was not shared by the general public. For that matter, few kinds of advertising were regarded as highly by consumers in general as they were by ad people.

Environmental Leader: Lower-income Shoppers More Likely to Pay Small Premium for Green

Lower-income shoppers, including Gen Yers and Millennials just coming into the broader economy, are more likely to pay up to 10 cents more for green products, according to a new report from Miller Zell. In total, the report found that half of all shoppers are willing to pay a premium for green items.

Environmental Leader: 62% of Shoppers Respond to Green Item Impulse Buys
Showing the power of impulse buys, about 62 percent of shoppers say that the availability of green product options can impact unplanned purchases, according to a new report from Miller Zell.

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Trackbacks
• Share Link

Washington Post: Rosetta Stone Sues Google Over Trademarks in Searches
Rosetta Stone, the Arlington language-learning software firm, said yesterday it has filed a lawsuit against Google for trademark infringement, alleging the Internet search giant allowed other companies to use Rosetta Stone's trademark brand for online advertisements without permission.

Reuters: Power.com countersues Facebook over user data
Power.com, a San Francisco based aggregator of social networking sites, on Friday sued Facebook in a California court to try to resolve who owns data on social networking websites -- users or the sites.

Environmental Leader: Consumers Say Green Products Don’t Define a Firm’s Sustainability
A slight majority of consumers think a company can be environmentally responsible without making green products, according to research from the Natural Marketing Institute.

Adweek: Consumers Don't Hate Ads After All, Survey Says
They may not quite be grateful for advertising. But consumers realize it pays the bills for much of the content they enjoy -- and, for that matter, that it helps the economy to function. Those are among the significant findings of a newly released global survey by Nielsen, AdweekMedia's parent company.

Excite News: Watchdog: Facebook violates Canadian privacy law
Canada's privacy commissioner says the online social networking site Facebook breaches Canadian law by keeping users personal information indefinitely after members close their accounts.

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Trackbacks
• Share Link

Brandweek: Consumers Trust Real Friends, Virtual Strangers the Most

Recommendations from personal acquaintances or opinions posted by consumers online are the most trusted forms of advertising, according to the latest Nielsen Global Online Consumer Survey of over 25,000 Internet consumers from 50 countries.

Brandweek: Does the CEO Make an Ad More Credible?

Good news, relatively speaking, for CEOs who'd like to get their faces on TV: In polling conducted among LinkedIn members for AdweekMedia, relatively few respondents said seeing the CEO in a company's advertising makes the message less credible -- though well under half said it makes the ad more credible.

Office of the Attorney General: Attorney General Cuomo Announces Legal Action Against Social Networking Site that Raided Email Address Books, Stole Identities, and Spamed Millions of Americans

Tagged.com Engaged in Deceptive Email Promotions, Identity Theft, and Invasion of Privacy

Attorney General Andrew M. Cuomo today announced that he has served the social networking site Tagged.com (“Tagged”) with formal notice that his office intends to sue the company for deceptive email marketing practices and invasion of privacy. According to Cuomo’s notice of intent, Tagged devised an illegal plan to lure new members and artificially inflate traffic on its site. Consumers who visited Tagged were tricked into providing the company with access to their personal email contacts, which the company then used to send millions of promotional emails. Tagged disguised these solicitations to make them appear as if they were coming from a personal contact, when they were actually spam.

Brandweek: Americans Less Worried About Wasteful Packaging

Sustainable packaging is not as high a concern to Americans as it is to many others around the world, according to new Datamonitor report.

Internet regulator mulls cybersquatting block

The Internet's key oversight agency is considering a centralized database of trademark holders, to cut down on questionable registrations of new Internet addresses.

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Trackbacks
• Share Link

Brandweek: Offline WOM Beats the Online Variety

As brands scramble to get favorable word of mouth on social-media sites, a Harris Poll released this week finds that offline word of mouth -- i.e., words spoken by actual mouths -- exerts more influence on consumers' purchase decisions.

Excite News: High court won't block remote storage DVR systems

Hollywood studios and television networks lost their bid Monday for the Supreme Court to block the use of a new digital video recorder system that could make it cheaper and easier for viewers to record shows and watch them when they want, without commercials.

Excite News: Jay Leno wins right to Web name for his new show

Television host Jay Leno has won control of a Web address using the name of his new show.

Excite News: Companies pledge more openness about Web tracking

Companies that track consumer behavior online for advertising purposes are vowing to make their practices more transparent and to give people a way to decline being shadowed.

Adweek: Nielsen: Consumers Trust Online Opinions

When it comes to trust, personal recommendations and consumer opinions posted online are most valued by consumers worldwide.

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Trackbacks
• Share Link

Environmental Leader: FTC on Greenwashing: Is That All There Is?

The Federal Trade Commission in mid-June charged three companies, Kmart Corp., Tender Corp. and Dyna-E International, with making false and unsubstantiated claims that their paper products were “biodegradable.”

Environmental Leader: House Narrowly Passes Climate Bill - Reaction Roundup

The House narrowly passed landmark climate change legislation (H.R. 2454) with a 219-212 vote, delivering a major victory for President Barack Obama and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), reports Roll Call.

Excite News: High court won't block remote storage DVR systems

Hollywood studios and television networks lost their bid Monday for the Supreme Court to block the use of a new digital video recorder system that could make it cheaper and easier for viewers to record shows and watch them when they want, without commercials.

Excite News: Facebook tries to simplify privacy settings

Facebook is overhauling its privacy controls over the next several weeks in an attempt to simplify its users' ability to control who sees the information they share on the site.

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Trackbacks
• Share Link

Excite News: NY court hears Salinger's suit over spinoff book

An author who's being sued by J.D. Salinger for copyright infringement is asking a Manhattan judge to let his book be published.

Bloomberg: House Considering $37 Billion Drug Tax, Rangel Says (Update3)

The House is considering imposing a $37 billion tax on drugmakers by denying deductions for prescription-drug advertising, Ways and Means Committee Chairman Charles Rangel said.

Wall Street Journal: Lawmakers Blast Internet Data Collection

House Privacy Bill Would Give Consumers More Control Over Their Online Information

Internet companies came under fire on Capitol Hill on Thursday, with lawmakers questioning how well the companies protect information that they collect online about consumers for advertising purposes.

Excite News: FTC plans to monitor blogs for claims, payments

Savvy consumers often go online for independent consumer reviews of products and services, scouring through comments from everyday Joes and Janes to help them find a gem or shun a lemon.

Excite News: Obama, citing his smoking woes, signs tobacco law

Lamenting his first teenage cigarette, President Barack Obama ruefully admitted on Monday that he's spent his adult life fighting the habit. Then he signed the nation's toughest anti-smoking law, aiming to keep thousands of other teens from getting hooked.

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Trackbacks
• Share Link

Wall Street Journal: Lawmakers Make Noise About Loud Commercials

Some members of Congress want broadcasters to turn down the volume on television commercials.

A bill sponsored by U.S. Rep. Anna Eshoo (D., Calif.) would require the U.S. Federal Communications Commission to "preclude commercials from being broadcast at louder volumes than the program material they accompany."

Brandweek: Being Green More Valuable Than Price

Although some recent consumer research indicates that you’ll still need a crowbar to pry open the majority of shopper’s wallets, the ORC Guideline reports that many Americans are willing to part with their precious dollars to support eco-friendly initiatives.

Environmental Leader: Greenwashing Lawsuits, Climate Change Deception on the Rise

Lawyers, environmentalists and marketing groups say they’ve seen an increase in greenwashing suits over the past year, according to the National Law Journal. These groups are questioning everything from household cleaners to automobiles for their eco-friendliness.

CNET News: 'Spam king' could face criminal charges in Facebook case

In a move that could land Sanford Wallace in jail if convicted, a federal judge on Friday referred a lawsuit Facebook filed against the "spam king" to the U.S. Attorney's office for possible criminal proceedings.

NY Times: Tobacco Regulation Is Expected to Face a Free-Speech Challenge Top of Form 1

The marketing and advertising restrictions in the tobacco law that Congress passed last week are likely to be challenged in court on free-speech grounds. But supporters of the legislation say they drafted the law carefully to comply with the First Amendment.

NY Times: Microsoft Sues Three in Click-Fraud Scheme

AFTER an investigation that took more than a year, Microsoft has filed its first lawsuit over click fraud, where people manipulate clicks on a Web advertisement.

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Trackbacks
• Share Link

Reuters: US warns of TV drug ads' distracting music, images

Television ads for drugs and medical devices should avoid distracting images and music that can reduce viewers' comprehension of potential side effects, U.S. regulators advised in guidelines proposed on Tuesday.

Broadcasting & Cable: Senate Launches Investigation Of Deceptive Online Marketing

Commerce Committee looking into "mystery charges" on Web surfers' credit cards

Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Jay Rockefeller (WVA) has launched an investigation into an online marketing practice he says results in "mystery charges" on Web surfers credit cards.

NY Times: Cigarettes in Popular Films Are Target of Health Groups

The advocacy arm of the American Medical Association unveiled a summer-long campaign on Wednesday intended to publicly shame movie studios for depicting images of smoking in their mass-appeal movies.

Excite News: Minn. regulators drop bid to block online gambling

Minnesota regulators have withdrawn a request that Internet service providers block access to hundreds of online gambling sites.

Brandweek: Senate Passes Bill for FDA to Regulate Tobacco

In a 79-17 vote yesterday, the U.S. Senate passed a bill giving the Food and Drug Administration regulatory authority over the tobacco industry.

The vote sends the measure back to the House, which passed a similar version in April. If the House accepts the Senate version, then the bill would go directly to President Barack Obama, who supports the action. (Note: another industry media outlet reported the bill was on its way to the President already.)

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Trackbacks
• Share Link

BuisinessWeek: Blogola: The FTC Takes On Paid Posts

The Federal Trade Commission wants bloggers to disclose when they've been wooed with cash or freebies from companies they cover

This summer, the government agency is expected to issue new advertising guidelines that will require bloggers to disclose when they're writing about a sponsor's product and voicing opinions that aren't their own. The new FTC guidelines say that blog authors should disclose when they're being compensated by an advertiser to discuss a product.

Environmental Leader: Bottled Water Firms Sue NY over “Bottle Bill”

Recycling advocacy groups met recently to push a bill to expand the five-cent bottle deposit in New York State to include non-carbonated beverages and sports drinks. Now a coalition of bottled water companies is suing New York to block the expanded bottle deposit law scheduled to take effect next month, arguing that the law, which imposes a deposit fee on bottled water sold in New York State, is unconstitutional, reports the New York Times.

Excite News: Cigarette makers lose appeal in landmark case

A federal appeals court on Friday agreed with the major elements of a 2006 landmark ruling that found the nation's top tobacco companies guilty of racketeering and fraud for deceiving the public about the dangers of smoking.

Excite News: SAG, AFTRA approve ads contract

Three-year deal ratified by landslide vote

SAG and AFTRA members have given overwhelming approval to a three-year commercials contract with a 93.8% endorsement -- a marked contrast with the current bitter battle within SAG over the feature-primetime contract.

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Trackbacks
• Share Link

Reuters: Google eases trademark restrictions on some U.S. ads

Google Inc is lifting restrictions on the use of trademarked terms in its U.S. online advertising system, a move that could increase friction between the Internet giant and brand owners.

ClickZ: "Strong Nudge" from FTC May Lead to "Draconian Measures"

When behavioral ad-related privacy worries arise, online ad industry execs often point to the fact that they only store and apply non-personally identifiable data in ad targeting. However, as far as government regulators are concerned, that may not matter. The Federal Trade Commission signaled as much earlier this year in its revised principles for behavioral ad targeting, and reiterated its stance yesterday.

Excite News: Court turns away appeal over Steinbeck copyrights

The Supreme Court has rejected an appeal by a son of author John Steinbeck over the publishing rights to "The Grapes of Wrath" and other early works.

NY Times: New Mood in Antitrust May Target Google

For decades, the nation’s biggest antitrust cases have centered on technology companies. And they have all been efforts by the government to deal with powerful companies with far-reaching influence, like AT&T, the telephone monopoly; I.B.M., the mainframe computer giant; and Microsoft, the powerhouse of personal computer software.

Reuters: Woody Allen wins $5 million in lawsuit over his image

American Apparel Inc settled film director Woody Allen's lawsuit over the company's use of his image in advertising for $5 million, Allen said on Monday as the case was about to come to trial.

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Trackbacks
• Share Link

Brandweek: YouTube Unleashes Product Placement Police

In recent months, YouTube has set off some jangled nerves among several of its more popular content producers. The company issued written notifications to several producers who have inked branded integration deals directly with advertisers, gently reminding them that according to its Terms of Service, users are not to post commercial videos on YouTube without permission.

Brandweek: Sustainability Matters, But Green Is Not Everything

Shoppers are thinking green, but not always buying that way, according to a new study released today by the Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) and Deloitte. The study found that while 54 percent of shoppers indicate that environmental sustainability in a factor in their purchasing decisions, they actually bought green products on just 22 percent of their shopping trips. The survey is the basis of the GMA-Deloitte report released today titled Finding the Green in Today’s Shoppers: Sustainability Trends and New Shopper Insights and was based on interviews with over 6,400 shoppers.

Mediaweek: Cali Lawmakers Halt Digital Billboard Ban Legislation

On April 30, California lawmakers shot down legislation that would have amounted to a de facto ban on digital billboards in the state. The bill, AB 109, had been sponsored by California assemblyman Mike Feuer (D-Los Angeles).

Reuters: U.S. objects to General Mills' Cheerios health claims

* Cheerios boxes carried unapproved drug claims - FDA

* Did not fit authorized claims for heart health - FDA

* Company says claims well supported

General Mills made unauthorized claims about the heart-related benefits of Cheerios on cereal boxes and a website, U.S. regulators said in a letter released on Tuesday.

Environmental Leader: Consumers Buying More ‘Green’ Since Start of Recession

Countering some other research, a new study shows that consumers in the United States, UK and Japan have placed more emphasis on buying so-called “green” items than they did before the recession began, among other attributes they consider during purchasing.

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Trackbacks
• Share Link

The Hollywood Reporter: Commentary: The growing use of DVRs

Study: About 16% of commercials will be skipped by 2011

About 6% of TV commercials in the U.S. are fast-forwarded because of DVRs, reflecting about $5 billion in what some consider wasted spending. By the end of 2011, about 16% of commercials will be skipped.

Environmental Leader: 54% of Grocery Shoppers Consider Product Sustainability

Fifty-four percent of shoppers consider environmental sustainability characteristics in their buying decisions; however, only 22 percent actually buy green products on their shopping trips, according to a new study released by the Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) and Deloitte. The study also reveals that sustainability considerations are a tie-breaker when deciding between products.

Environmental Leader: Green Ads on the Rise

TerraChoice has found that the amount of advertising of green claims is on the rise.

Looking at 18,000 ads in recent issues of Time, Fortune, National Geographic, Sports Illustrated and Vanity Fair, TerraChoice found that more than 10 percent of all ads in 2008 made some sort of “green” claim. That’s up from about 3 percent in 2006.

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Trackbacks
• Share Link

DIRECT: FTC Offers Insight Into Mobile Marketing Practices 

The Federal Trade Commission has issued a report on mobile marketing, which offers insight into how the organization views the burgeoning channel.

The report, “Beyond Voice: Mapping the Mobile Marketplace,” includes the following findings:
Cost disclosures about mobile services continue to generate consumer complaints. The FTC staff will continue to monitor cost disclosures, bring law enforcement actions as appropriate, and work with industry on improving its self-regulatory enforcement.

BBC News: Facebook users say yes to changes 

Facebook users have voted to back changes which give them control over data and content they post on the site. 

Early results suggest 75% of those who voted support the proposals. 

The vote was triggered by changes Facebook made to its terms and conditions in February.
The move drew fire because it appeared to hand the social network site ownership of images, videos and data that users posted on profile pages.

Excite News: FCC 'fleeting expletives' policy in - for now 
       
The Supreme Court on Tuesday said the government could threaten broadcasters with fines over the use of even a single curse word on live television, yet stopped short of ruling whether the policy violates the Constitution.

Reuters: FTC says Internet firms near "last chance"

Companies that track consumer behavior on the Web for targeted advertising without proper consent are near their "last chance" to self-regulate, the head of the U.S. Federal Trade Commission said on Monday.

Reuters: Online gambling bill coming: Frank 

U.S. Rep. Barney Frank, chairman of the House of Representatives Financial Services Committee, said on Tuesday he would introduce a bill next week to overturn a three-year-old U.S. ban on Internet gambling.

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Trackbacks
• Share Link

NY Times: Pepsi Suing Coca-Cola Over Powerade Ads

PepsiCo Inc. sued rival Coca-Cola Co. on Monday over ads for a new version of Coca-Cola's sports drink Powerade, saying the campaign makes false claims that could hurt its Gatorade brand.

Brandweek:  Recession Dampens Green Enthusiasm

Is the recession taking a bite out of environmentalists’ unwavering passion to buy green? GfK Roper’s latest green study suggests so.

In a survey of more than 2,000 U.S. adults (ages 18 and older), the market research firm found that consumer concern for the environment over the economy fell from 69 percent in 2007 to 55 percent in 2008. The decline represents a shift from “broad-based green thinking to more practical green action.”

Reuters: Burger King to scrap ad after complaint by Mexico

Fast food giant Burger King apologized on Tuesday for an advertisement featuring a squat Mexican draped in his country's flag next to a tall American cowboy and said it would change the campaign.

NY Times: US lawmakers target deep packet inspection in privacy bill

U.S. lawmakers plan to introduce privacy legislation that would limit how Internet service providers can track their users, despite reports that no U.S. ISPs are using such technologies except for legitimate security reasons.

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Trackbacks
• Share Link

WSJ.com: Fed Features: Ads at Movies Warn Against Scams

The Federal Reserve is coming soon to a theater near you.

The subject won't be the drama inside the central bank or its role in the current financial crisis. Rather, Fed officials plan to launch advertisements in movie theaters to warn homeowners about foreclosure scams.

Reuters: UPDATE 2-US online gambling crackdown a breach of WTO - EU

* EU Commission: U.S. Internet gambling laws hamper trade 

* Commission seeks negotiated solution with U.S. 

A U.S. Justice Department crackdown on European online gambling companies violates U.S. commitments under the World Trade Organization, the European Commission said on Thursday in a draft report.

Reuters: Jennifer Lopez wins cybersquatting case at UN agency

American singer and actress Jennifer Lopez has won a cybersquatting case against a U.S. web operator who registered two Internet addresses that used her name for commercial profit, a U.N. agency said on Thursday.

NY Times:  Front of Los Angeles Times Has an NBC ‘Article’

In a move that raised questions about how far newspapers would go to please advertisers, The Los Angeles Times ran a front-page ad on Thursday that resembled a news column.

Excite News: EU to sue Britain over Internet privacy 

The European Union started legal action against Britain on Tuesday for not applying EU data privacy rules that would restrict an Internet advertising tracker called Phorm from watching how users surf the Web.

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Trackbacks
• Share Link

Yahoo! News: Feds sue Dish Network over do not call complaints

The nation's second-largest satellite TV provider — Dish Network — is being sued by the government for alleged violations of the national Do Not Call Registry.

NY Times: 8 Hours a Day Spent on Screens, Study Finds

IN a world with grocery store television screens, digitally delivered movie libraries and cellphone video clips, the average American is exposed to 61 minutes of TV ads and promotions a day.

Adage: Georgia-Pacific Sues P&G for False Advertising by Bounty

Claims that New Paper Towels are Thicker are False, Says Marketer

Brawny paper-towel marketer Georgia-Pacific Corp. is suing Procter & Gamble Co. for falsely advertising "25% thicker quilts" on its Bounty towels.

Reuters: EU threatens action to defend Web users' privacy

Some Internet companies are abusing consumers' personal data and this cannot be allowed to continue, a top European Union official will warn the industry on Tuesday.

Mediaweek: SAG, AFTRA Reach Commercials Contract

SAG and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists said early Wednesday that they have reached a tentative new three-year commercials contract.

Reuters: House votes to grant FDA authority over tobacco

A measure giving the Food and Drug Administration power to regulate the manufacturing and marketing of cigarettes cleared the U.S. House of Representatives on Thursday.

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Trackbacks
• Share Link

Reuters: Cybersquatting cases hit record in 2008

Companies and celebrities ranging from Arsenal football club to actress Scarlett Johansson filed a record number of "cybersquatting" cases in 2008 to stop others from profiting from their famous names, brands and events, a United Nations agency said on Sunday.

The New York Times:  Many See Privacy on Web as Big Issue, Survey Says

As arguments swirl over online privacy, a new survey indicates the issue is a dominant concern for Americans.

More than 90 percent of respondents called online privacy a “really” or “somewhat” important issue, according to the survey of more than 1,000 Americans conducted by TRUSTe, an organization that monitors the privacy practices of Web sites of companies like I.B.M., Yahoo and WebMD for a fee.

FTC.gov:  FTC Order Bars Firm From Failing to Provide Timely Rebates

Company Sold Phones and Services at Stores Including Office Depot, Staples, and CVS

A company that sold telephones and telephone services through retailers nationwide has been barred from failing to provide the rebates it promised to consumers in a timely manner. The Federal Trade Commission charged the company with deceptive marketing by promising consumers they would receive their rebates within eight weeks of submitting properly completed forms. In reality, tens of thousands of consumers did not receive their rebates within the time promised, and some had to wait up to a year or more for their checks.

Adage:  Feds Push for FDA Oversight of Tobacco, but What's Left to Regulate?

With Anti-Smoking Marketing Goals Achieved, Critics Say Agency Has Other Priorities

Fourteen years ago, Clinton administration Food and Drug Administration Commissioner David Kessler proposed that his agency regulate tobacco and impose unprecedented marketing curbs. Since that time, much traditional tobacco marketing has become all but illegal, and Congress is readying to finally grant his wish.

Environmental Leader:  Study: Green Packaging Wins Out for Most Shoppers

Brand marketers are focusing more attention on environmentally friendly packaging, but environmental considerations for shoppers generally are secondary to overall package appearance and functional concerns, says Scott Young, president, Perception Research Services (PRS), in an article written for Packworld.com.

Adweek:  Discovery Sues Amazon Over Kindle

Claims the book reading device employs Discovery-patented technology

Discovery Communications is suing Amazon.com, claiming the online retailer’s popular electronic book reader the Kindle employs a Discovery-patented technology. 

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Trackbacks
• Share Link

Excite News:  Obama nominates friend, adviser to head FCC 

President Barack Obama on Tuesday named Julius Genachowski, a friend from Harvard Law School, as his nominee to chair the Federal Communications Commission.

Adweek: Nielsen: Social Nets Overtake E-mail - As online paradigm shifts, advertisers must find a way to add value, rather than follow the 'push' model

Social networking has overtaken e-mail as the most popular Internet activity, according to a new study released by Nielsen.

Active reach in what Nielsen defines as "member communities" now exceeds e-mail participation by 67 percent to 65 percent. What's more, the reach of social networking and blogging venues is growing at twice the rate of other large drivers of Internet use such as portals, e-mail and search.

Brandweek:  FTC Takes On Freecreditreport.com

Maybe that tuneful trio that shifts from lousy job to lousy job really will have something bad to sing about now. The Federal Trade Commission, tomorrow, will take aim at the popular Freecreditreport.com ad campaign. The government organization is releasing two online videos (at www.ftc.gov/freereports and www.YouTube.com/FTCVideos) that explain that AnnualCreditReport.com is the only site where consumers can truly get their credit reports for free.

Brandweek:  Recyclable Packaging Ranks Highest With Consumers

Here’s the tricky thing about sustainable packaging: While it’s not a primary purchase motivator for most people, a blatant disregard for it may turn off consumers, who have increasing expectations for brands to incorporate green business practices.

BBC News:  Al Gore says domain .eco logical - The former US vice president, Al Gore, is backing the creation of a new green .eco domain name.

Dot Eco applied to create the domain which would then be used to host sites supporting environmental causes.

"This is a truly exciting opportunity for the environmental movement and for the internet as a whole," said Mr Gore.

Environmental Leader:  Consumer Survey: Growth of ‘Green’ Consumption On Hold 

At 36 percent, the number of Americans who say they “almost always” or “regularly” buy green products remains unchanged, according to recent Mintel consumer survey data. This lack of growth comes after tripling from 12% in 2007 to 36% in 2008.

Reuters:  U.S. privacy bill on Internet companies coming

A top U.S. lawmaker in the U.S. House of Representatives on Wednesday said he is working to develop a bill to impose mandatory guidelines on Internet companies to protect user privacy, because the current voluntary approach is falling short.

• Email This
• Print
• Share Link