Are Mandated Disclosures Deceptive Advertising?

Advertising managers, educators and regulators alike have observed the growth of federal programs mandating the form or content of consumer information disclosures. Although this activity often has been warranted, at times these programs may have had unintended "deceptive" effects. Examples might include the USDA's food grading systems, some of the FTC's corrective advertising activities and certain programs of affirmative disclosure of product information (e.g., gasoline octane ratings and the cigarette health warning). To avoid these problems one must give attention to principles learned from communication and attitude research. Further, such programs will benefit greatly from before-after impact evaluation studies to insure that results correspond with objectives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]