International Housewares Association Blog

Coming soon at the International Home + Housewares Show, the Innovation Theater in the Lakeside Center will present 21 educational programs, every hour beginning Saturday afternoon and ending Tuesday afternoon. The Theater is set in Room E350, near the entry to the Level 3 Lobby and the Hall of Innovation. Experts in new product development and launch will discuss critical and timely topics in our industry. To help you plan your time at the Show, we introduce you to the presenters with a series of interviews. Be sure to mark your calendars for these exciting programs!  Check www.housewares.org regularly for updates on the schedule of Show events.

Can You Substantiate That? Alerting Marketers to Increasing FTC Scrutiny
Sunday March 11 11:30 am to 12:20 pm.

Headquartered in Washington, D.C., and with offices in New York and Los Angeles, Venable has nearly 600 attorneys practicing in all areas of corporate and business law, complex litigation, intellectual property and regulatory and government affairs. For more than a century, Venable has built a firm based on a simple and enduring premise: See the world through the eyes of our clients. Immerse ourselves in our clients’ businesses so that we fully understand the context of their legal issues.

Every new product that comes to market has navigated the consideration of many legal questions. Roger Colaizzi and Jeffrey Knowles are experts in legal issues facing companies in the housewares industry. They spoke at the 2011 Show about legal challenges of launching new products. In 2012 they will share their insight about the latest governmental regulations and rulings by the Federal Trade Commission that affect makers and marketers of housewares products.

Roger and Jeff, tell us what you will be speaking about and how and this topic is important for Show audiences.

We will focus on the emerging trend of increased scrutiny regarding consumer product advertising claims by the FTC, State Attorney Generals (“AG”) and competitors in the market place.  Over the last few years, FTC enforcement actions have become more prevalent and the FTC is seeking stiffer penalties in its consent decrees than in the past, making compliance with the FTC guidelines crucial for consumer products companies.  In addition, State AGs continue their enforcement efforts through state “mini-FTC Acts” that prohibit unfair and deceptive practices.  These Acts usually follow FTC precedent, but tend to be broader than the FTC Act.  Additionally, competitors in the market place are quick to bring a claim of false advertising under the Lanham Act when they feel false claims are impacting their market share/bottom line.

In our discussion, Can you Substantiate That? Alerting Marketers to Increasing FTC Scrutiny, we will discuss dynamic strategies for product substantiation that will enable consumer product companies to make aggressive marketing claims without running afoul of Federal law, state law or competitors in the market.  We also will update the audience on the most recent enforcement efforts by the FTC and other regulators.  This topic is crucial to all companies attending the International Home + Housewares Show because all of these attendees seek to find a lawful way in which to distinguish their products and services in advertising.  As any company who has had the unfortunate experience of participating in an FTC, State AG or Federal Lanham Act case can attest, not only is it a tremendous drain on time and financial resources, but also the vast majority of these cases are preventable.  It is our goal to provide the audience with a common sense approach to advertising claim substantiation so as to avoid the unfortunate position of defending an advertising lawsuit or government investigation.

Why did you choose to speak at the International Home + Housewares Show?

Because our clients are here. We’re at the International Home + Housewares Show to meet with our clients, listen to the needs of the companies here and to share our experience in guiding companies just like yours to bring your products to market.  Venable has one of the largest premier advertising and marketing practices in the United States.  Our nationally renowned team has extensive experience across every marketing channel and industry vertical.  In addition, we have one of the most extensive and successful litigation practices in the United States when it comes to advertising and marketing. Our team has won the Chambers USA Award for Excellence in Advertising Law two years in a row and was selected as Law Firm of the year in Advertising Law by Best Lawyers this year.  We are well positioned to partner with the companies at the International Home + Housewares Show.

Thank you Roger and Jeff for sharing your knowledge with Show audiences. We look forward to hearing about the latest news from regulators so that housewares companies can prepare for what’s ahead.

To learn more about the services offered by Venable LLP, see www.venable.com or contact Jeff Knowles

Co-Chair – Government Division, jdknowles@Venable.com.