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Advertising is one of the most important aspects of your business. A good advertising campaign can bolster your sales and exposure to the market. However, advertising that is inaccurate or illegal can do a great deal of harm to both the advertising campaign as well as the companies image and reputation. The adverse publicity, legal expenses, and possible penalties can be avoided by following a few guidelines when preparing the advertisements.

General Rules:

• All advertising claims must be accurate, substantiated and not misleading.
• Ensure all advertising includes the appropriate legal disclosures.
• Avoid unauthorized performance, quality or pricing claims.
• Consult an attorney about the application of advertising laws to your programs.

In the context of legal enforcement, advertising claims are judged by their overall impression, not just the literal or technical accuracy. The ad should be able to stand up to the scrutiny of a competitor as well as be able to communicate effectively to the prospect.

Questions to ask when reviewing an ad:

• Is the ad clear?
• Is it complete?
• Is there an omission which might render it unfair or misleading in some way?
• Does it encourage unsafe practices in any way?

Accuracy
The most important thing to do before releasing an ad for publication is to submit your ad to your attorney and your GTE SmartPark Services Account Representative. Discuss the ad with them and determine if there are any items which require a legal statement.

If the average reader cannot understand the ad or the ad lends itself to several interpretations, which may not be true, then the ad may be deemed misleading. When and if disclaimers are used, be sure they are readable, accurate, and contain all the information necessary to clarify the claim being made.