Restaurant/Food Services
Legal Concerns in Designing Restaurant Menus
August 22, 2012Many states regulate offering specific foods in restaurants. There is little consistency from state to state, resulting in a morass of legal regulations that affects restaurants’ menu options.
Read More...Sugary Soda Ban in NYC: Rational but Unreasonable
June 12, 2012I rarely feel compelled to give my opinion publicly, but this one has me fuming. Mayor Bloomberg of New York City wants to ban supersized soda and sugary beverages sold at restaurants, delis, food carts, movie theaters, and arenas. The ban would apply to any container holding more than 16 ounces, and if passed by the NYC’s Board of Health, could go into effect as early as March, 2013. Violators would face fines.
Read More...Marketing Promoting Products’ Health Benefits Needs Annual Checkup
June 5, 2012For marketers of health foods and food-derived products, supplements, nutraceutical products, and weight loss products, these are dangerous times. Many of these marketers tout their products’ health benefits in advertising. In the past two years, however, we have seen and increase in challenges to such advertising from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), state Attorneys-General, class action lawsuits, and watchdog group and industry lawsuits.
Read More...Branding on Pinterest: How to Avoid Legal Liability
March 6, 2012Last week, I suggested in my post that unless Pinterest addresses the legal issues inherent in its business model more responsibly, it cannot reach maturity as a social media website. I suspect that over time, we may see Pinterest evolve, but how can brands establish themselves on Pinterest in its current format with its existing terms and conditions? Below are some steps to take in developing a Pinterest branding strategy that minimizes legal risk.
Read More...Pinterest’s Predicament: Legal Issues Prevent Social Media Maturity
February 28, 2012Last week, Pinterest’s blog said that it was growing up. The blog stated, “we…know that copyright is a complicated and nuanced issue and we have knowledgeable people who are providing lots of guidance.” It next offered an opt out system by which website owners could embed code to prevent their content from being pinned.
Read More...Preventing Legal Mistakes in Social Media Sweepstakes and Contests
February 13, 2012Marketing consultants frequently recommend the use of sweepstakes and contests on social media platforms. Yet, in their enthusiasm for using this exciting marketing tool, marketers frequently expose themselves to legal risk. This blog will examine ten mistakes that brands make in launching a social media prize promotion.
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