UPDATE 3-31-2014: I have withdrawn from the Genghis Grill’s 2014 Health Kwest, and I have made all posts about that contest private on my blog for the time being.
As someone who had taught public relations for more than two decades, I should have known better. But I got caught up in the excitement of being part of a contest, and I have neglected to provide full disclosure with every post/photo/video I have I uploaded as a constant in Genghis Grill’s 2014 Health Kwest that the restaurant chain is providing me one free meal a day. And not making this disclosure goes against recent FTC guidelines. (There is wording about this in FanCorps, where we accept our daily “orders,” but like many, I just clicked right past it without reading carefully.)
NOTE: I am not a lawyer, nor am I giving legal advice. I am just sharing my understanding of the guidelines.
So I am making that right now. I will go back and edit as much as I can to include a disclosure I created at the cmp.ly website.
Here’s how to create a disclosure of your own:
- Go to http://cmp.ly and sign up for an account as an Individual Advocate.
- Choose which type of compliance you need. For my participation in this contest, it’s #3.
- Add specific language for your circumstances. For me, I added “The author of the message that directed you to this page has the following material connection: the author was compensated (via a giftcard worth one meal a day) to promote Genghis Grill as part of its Health Kwest 2014 contest.”
- Then use the unique URL that Cmp.ly provides in everything you post that is based on being compensated. Mine is http://my-disclosur.es/HVNLJa .
Useful Resources
- .com Disclosures, Federal Trade Commission
- “Do I Have To Disclose If . . .,” Katy Widrick
I wasn’t aware of this service but am now using it for my book review blog. Thanks!