• When bloggers are being paid to say a product is good, readers should know the deal. A core principle of U.S. communications and fair advertising law is that people have a right to know when they are being advertised to. There's no reason this rule shouldn't apply to the Internet.

  • The explosive growth of the Internet and resulting popularity of blogginghave transformed how marketers market. New guidelines from the Federal Trade Commission are expected to cover social media as well as paid media (advertising) and should provide clear direction to help prevent misleading endorsements, ensure effective disclosure, and dissuade financial incentives to write only favorable comments.

  • A fast food commercial pops up and you feast your eyes on a glistening cheeseburger. The next thing you know, you're hungry and you've got a hankering for a burger. Is this mere coincidence or do food ads really hold the power to change the way you eat? The answer is right before your eyes; multi-million dollar advertising campaigns would not exist if they didn't work.

  • It's official: Consumerism is dead, and it's been replaced with something better. We've slowed down, started prioritizing financial security over materialism, and wouldn't drive a mega-SUV or live in a McMansion if you paid us. Here are five traits that define the today's consumer