Several people pointed out the FTC "ruling" on stealth marketing that was covered in the press while the WOMMA conference was going on. That is old news. WOMMA has nothing to do with stealth marketing - a grossly dishonest practice. We, as governing members, embrace the ethics guidelines which are far stricter than anything the FTC will ever choose to enforce.
Mary Engle from the FTC spoke on a panel. She mentioned the ruling. Apparently a "consumser advocacy" group known as Commercial Alerts petitioned them to do something about the practice of paying people to pose as unbiased man-on-the-streets who just happen to like that vodka, or have that new, cool cameraphone, or some other nonsense. So they did. She gave an appreciative nod to the WOMMA ethics guidelines adding that the FTC would never get involved in defining what is ethical. Thank God that's cleared up.
Yeah, I found that entire presentation a bit... odd. They don't want to deal with "morality", yet she went on to discuss issues that were clearly those of morals. Clear as mud.
Hey, remember when it took nearly a year for the FTC to clarify whether COPPA applied to only those BELOW 13 years old, not those who were actually 13?? Yeah, I do. What a pain.
Posted by: Jake | December 14, 2006 at 09:19 PM