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Feds Push More Truth in Advertising
By W. McCahill
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Posted Mar 13, 09 3:07 PM CDT
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(Newser)
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Maybe Chuck Norris and Christie Brinkley did get those bods from that exercise equipment, but fears that consumers don’t really understand “results may vary” has the Federal Trade Commission looking to tighten its rules, Advertising Age reports. Advertisers would have to show that consumers would see similar results, or be forced to outline what the “generally expected performance” is.
Advertisers are miffed, saying the proposal would create a “hardship” that could violate First Amendment rights and put them in the position of making judgment calls from facts tough to quantify. Said one industry rep: “Marketers who want to use clearly accurate and documented testimonials from successful customers may not be able to do so if they are required to disclose the generally accepted results achieved by consumers.”