Markets Wired

A one-day “back to basics” workshop on complying with truth-in-advertising laws is being presented in Dallas, Texas, on Thursday, May 29, 2008, by the Federal Trade Commission and Better Business Bureau of Metropolitan Dallas. Green Lights & Red Flags: FTC-BBB Rules of the Road for Advertisers features a roster of national experts discussing the latest developments in advertising law for business owners, marketing executives, and attorneys.

Panel topics include:

• Understanding the Rules of the Road – The basics of FTC truth-in-advertising law and the BBB Code of Advertising;
• Avoiding a Promotion Commotion – Complying with new standards for rebates, commercial email, gift cards, and other promotional practices;
• The Secure Entrepreneur: Data Security & Consumer Privacy – Practical advice on safeguarding your customers’ personal information and honoring your privacy promises;
• If the Government Comes to Call – An inside look at county, state and federal consumer protection investigations;
• The ABCs of IP – What advertisers need to know about copyrights and trademarks; and
• When Your Competitor Crosses the Line – Self-regulation or litigation? Weighing the options when a competitor’s ads are deceptive.

Green Lights & Red Flags is presented in partnership with Southern Methodist University’s Temerlin Advertising Institute and Dedman School of Law, and the Dallas Bar Association’s Franchise & Distribution Law Section. The workshop runs from 8:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the Cityplace Conference Center Amphitheater, 2711 North Haskell Avenue, in Dallas.

The admission fee of $90 ($100 for walk-in registration and $45 for students), payable to the BBB of Metropolitan Dallas, includes continental breakfast, lunch, and a CD of all workshop materials. Green Lights & Red Flags has been approved for 5.5 hours of Texas CLE credit. For more information, visit www.dallas.bbb.org/greenlights or call the BBB at (214) 740-0306.

The FTC works for the consumer to prevent fraudulent, deceptive, and unfair business practices in the marketplace and to provide information to help consumers spot, stop, and avoid them. To file a complaint in English or Spanish or to get free information on any of 150 consumer topics, call toll-free, 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357), or use the complaint form at www.ftc.gov. The FTC enters Internet, telemarketing, identity theft, and other fraud-related complaints into Consumer Sentinel, a secure, online database available to more than 1,600 civil and criminal law enforcement agencies in the U.S. and abroad.