FTC PUSHING FOR STRICTER ADS

A push by the state Attorneys General to get the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to tighten up on alcohol advertising is leaving the advertising industry more than a little concerned. In March, the FTC reportedly asked for comment on what kind of info it should seek from the industry on self-compliance according to Broadcasting & Cable.

In a paper being published by the Washington Legal Foundation, Washington Legal Foundation, American Association of Advertising Agencies Counsel, Adonis Hoffman and attorney David Versfelt, warn that "opponents of alcohol
advertising are readying their troops to transform the commission's recent
request for data in to tighter ad restrictions by reducing that audience
figure.”

The attorneys general claim the advertising industry needs to increase their involvement in reducing underage drinking, and that most public interest groups want the industry to ban alcohol ads from shows with audiences of 15% of viewers 20 years old or under.

In addition to their claims that the alcohol industry is already taking steps to reduce underage drinking, Hoffman and Versfelt cautions the government to stay true to the First Amendment which protects truthful ads for legal products. They also argue that it is too soon to tighten the 30% prohibition to 15% since the ban has been in effect for less than two years, and it’s too early to tell its effectiveness.