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Moms' product endorsements prompt FTC scrutiny
Sunday, May 17, 2009 3:35 AM
By Melissa Rayworth
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Bedtime stories and beloved teddy bears? Snack-time silliness and bath-time high jinks? For "mommy bloggers," if it relates to your kid, blog about it.
But when Christine Young does it -- when she writes, say, about how adorably orange her children's fingers get when they gobble down handfuls of yummy Cheetos -- things get a bit more complicated.
Young has, in her words, a "relationship" with Frito-Lay, the maker of Cheetos. She isn't paid a salary, but the perks include free snack food and trips for her family. Like many mom bloggers, Young originally wrote about products she bought. Then companies called.
They asked her "to test products in exchange for a little bit of buzz on my site," she said, and she obliged. Raising six kids, she's grateful for the free products, including a Nintendo Wii.
It's become the standard model for successful parenting blogs: Women review products on their Web sites, sometimes mentioning that they've received the items free. But products also pop up amid anecdotes about family life.
"I try to be very natural with my reviews," Young said.
But can mothers who have relationships with corporate sponsors really speak without any agenda about these products?
The Federal Trade Commission is reviewing its advertising guidelines with mom bloggers in mind.
"Those who are compensated to promote or review a product" on their personal Web sites "are not exempt from the laws governing truthful advertising," said Richard Cleland, the FTC's assistant director of advertising practices, in a recent statement.
FTC commissioners are expected to vote on new guidelines in the summer.
Blogs
Moms' product endorsements prompt FTC scrutiny
Sunday, May 17, 2009 3:35 AM
By Melissa Rayworth
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Bedtime stories and beloved teddy bears? Snack-time silliness and bath-time high jinks? For "mommy bloggers," if it relates to your kid, blog about it.
But when Christine Young does it -- when she writes, say, about how adorably orange her children's fingers get when they gobble down handfuls of yummy Cheetos -- things get a bit more complicated.
Young has, in her words, a "relationship" with Frito-Lay, the maker of Cheetos. She isn't paid a salary, but the perks include free snack food and trips for her family. Like many mom bloggers, Young originally wrote about products she bought. Then companies called.
They asked her "to test products in exchange for a little bit of buzz on my site," she said, and she obliged. Raising six kids, she's grateful for the free products, including a Nintendo Wii.
It's become the standard model for successful parenting blogs: Women review products on their Web sites, sometimes mentioning that they've received the items free. But products also pop up amid anecdotes about family life.
"I try to be very natural with my reviews," Young said.
But can mothers who have relationships with corporate sponsors really speak without any agenda about these products?
The Federal Trade Commission is reviewing its advertising guidelines with mom bloggers in mind.
"Those who are compensated to promote or review a product" on their personal Web sites "are not exempt from the laws governing truthful advertising," said Richard Cleland, the FTC's assistant director of advertising practices, in a recent statement.
FTC commissioners are expected to vote on new guidelines in the summer.