The report gives a picture, drawn from consumer research, of how the consumer perceives and uses advertising and establishes that the service advertising performs is at least comparable in value to the service it performs for manufacturers. Two major headings are included: (1) Advertising and the Consumer clarifies the terms, "advertising" and…

In order to determine the evidence upon which the Federal Trade Commission decides that an advertisement or other sales representation has the capacity or tendency to deceive, a census was conducted of the 3,337 cases in which such decisions have been made from 1916 through 1973. Findings showed that, of 22 categories of evidence, the three most…

This guidebook cautions the potential vocational school student about the possibilities of false claims, poor training, and unreliable job promises from commercial trade, technical business, and correspondence schools. It points out what sort of things to look for and which claims to take seriously. Defenses against an aggressive sales pitch are…

These guidelines are intended broadly to promote ultimate consumer satisfaction with performance of products as related to consumers' understanding of claims made for those products. Although the guidelines should be of interest to all concerned with the subject of claims documentation, they were developed particularly for advertisers in the…

Advertising should be viewed as a sales-building investment and not simply an element of business outlay that actually is a completely controllable expense. Suggestions deal with the sales budget, profiling the store and its customers, advertising media, promotional ideas, and consumer protection. (LBH)

A College Board study shows that the most effective recruitment mailings go first class, are direct, thorough and spirited, consistent in tone and genuinely sympathetic to student concerns. Gimmicky presentations, exaggerated claims, and emphasis on recreational features should be avoided. (Author/LBH)

This is one of several papers presented at a Federal Trade Commission Symposium on Media Concentration. It expresses views of the National Association of Advertising Publishers regarding problems that publishers of advertising shoppers and free newspapers encounter from chain-owned newspapers. Shoppers and free newspapers are described and…

Several classroom activities designed to examine the persuasive techniques used in consumer advertising are outlined. (DE)

Assesses the magnitude and incidence of experimentally determined deceptive advertising decisions in supermarket advertisements. Shows that many reduced-priced items are displayed less prominently, lessening a consumer's ability to show economically. (RL)

This report is the result of efforts to encourage thoughtful individual corporate action in maintaining up-to-date internal policies and procedures relating to the functions of advertising and promotion. Information for the report was gathered by sending letters to the chief executives of major national advertisers requesting a personal review of…

This is one of several papers presented at a Federal Trade Commission Symposium on Media Concentration. It describes one journalist's experience owning a free newspaper in the Richmond, Indiana, area and meeting competition when the local daily newspaper was purchased by a chain. It is suggested that methods of curtailing print competition in the…

Puffery refers to advertising statements which are not illegal, though they cannot be proven to be true. By legal definition, puffery is advertising or other sales representations which praise the item to be sold with subjective opinions, superlatives, or exaggerations, vaguely and generally, stating no specific facts. This book examines the…

In light of recent court rulings and Federal Trade Commission (FTC) hearings regarding unfair methods of competition and deceptive advertising, a content analysis was conducted of 20 randomly selected college catalogs from 2-year and 4-year, public and private institutions. Four types of misrepresentations were identified including institutional…

Twelve preconference papers and background articles that identify issues in consumer protection in postsecondary education are presented. The papers and articles include "Recruitment Practices of Postsecondary Schools" (Frank N. Albanese); "The Role of a State Agency in Consumer Protection" (Philip F. Ashler); "The Three R's of Postsecondary…

Two approaches to the problem of abusive advertising practices engaged in by some institutions of higher education are illustrated in two documents. The first involves government regulation of potential and actual abuse, the other encourages voluntary efforts through the development of models for good practice. The first document, Categories and…