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Advertising: Puffery & the FTC

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Is it okay that companies use puffery in their ads? What is puffery and why does the FTC allow it occur in advertising?

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Solution Summary

This solution describes puffery and details if it is acceptable to use in advertising. The solution also discussed the FTC's position on truth in advertising.

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Puffery is when a company makes claims about the product that cannot be proved or disproved. It comes from the concept that a company is "puffing up" (expanding, making it seem like more) the product.

Puffery is not illegal because they are claims that a company -and others- can neither prove nor disprove. For instance, there are many ...

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Sally Baldwin, Ed.D
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  • BA, University of Southern California
  • MSS, United States Sports Academy
  • Ed.D, Boise State University
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