Introduction

With the rapid growth of digital marketing, social media, and AI-driven advertising, businesses face increasing regulatory scrutiny. Governments worldwide are strengthening consumer protection laws to combat deceptive advertising, privacy violations, and unethical marketing practices. This course provides a deep dive into global advertising and marketing compliance, covering regulatory frameworks, risk management, and best practices for ethical and legally sound marketing strategies.

Objectives

By the end of this course, participants will:

1. Understand key advertising and marketing regulations across different jurisdictions (e.g., FTC, GDPR, CCPA, ASA, DMA, EU Digital Markets Act).
2. Identify compliance risks in traditional, digital, and influencer marketing.
3. Learn how to mitigate legal risks in advertising campaigns.
4. Explore compliance challenges in AI-driven and automated marketing.
5. Gain expertise in consumer protection laws, including deceptive advertising and misleading claims.
6. Develop a compliance framework to ensure ethical and legal marketing.

Who Should Attend?

This course is ideal for professionals involved in marketing, advertising, and regulatory compliance, including:

• Marketing and Advertising Executives
• Compliance Officers and Risk Managers
• Legal Counsels for Marketing and Advertising
• Social Media and Digital Marketing Professionals
• Consumer Protection Specialists
• Brand Managers and Product Marketers
• Advertising Agency Executives
• Corporate Ethics Officers

Course Outline

Day 1: Fundamentals of Advertising and Marketing Compliance

Session 1: Introduction to Global Advertising Regulations

• Overview of advertising compliance frameworks in the US (FTC), EU (GDPR, DMA), UK (ASA), Canada (CASL), and APAC regulations.
• The impact of data privacy laws on marketing (GDPR, CCPA, PIPL, etc.).
• Comparative analysis: Differences in global marketing compliance.

Session 2: Consumer Protection and Deceptive Advertising Laws

• False advertising, misleading claims, and bait-and-switch tactics.
• The role of consumer rights organizations and legal enforcement.
• Case studies: Regulatory fines for misleading ads (e.g., Meta, Google, Amazon).

Session 3: Hands-on Lab 1 – Identifying Compliance Risks

• Interactive exercise: Review marketing campaigns and spot compliance violations.

Day 2: Data Privacy, AI, and Digital Marketing Compliance

Session 1: Digital Advertising and Data Privacy Regulations

• Cookie laws, behavioral advertising, and consent requirements.
• Data protection in personalized marketing (GDPR’s legitimate interest test).
• Ethical considerations in targeted advertising and retargeting.

Session 2: AI in Advertising – Compliance and Ethical Challenges

• How AI and machine learning impact personalized marketing.
• Bias and discrimination in AI-driven advertising.
• Regulatory concerns around deepfake ads, chatbot promotions, and algorithmic decision-making.

Session 3: Hands-on Lab 2 – Managing AI-Driven Marketing Risks

• Case study: Ensuring compliance in AI-generated ad campaigns.

Day 3: Social Media, Influencer Marketing, and Endorsements Compliance

Session 1: Influencer Marketing and FTC Disclosure Guidelines

• Transparency and disclosure requirements for paid promotions.
• Legal risks of undisclosed sponsorships and fake endorsements.
• Case study: Lawsuits involving influencers (e.g., Kim Kardashian’s SEC fine).

Session 2: Social Media Marketing – Compliance Risks

• Regulating sponsored content, brand partnerships, and user-generated content.
• Risks of false social proof (fake reviews, bot engagement, manipulated likes).
• Content moderation policies for compliance on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.

Session 3: Hands-on Lab 3 – Drafting Compliant Social Media Disclosures

• Participants create FTC and ASA-compliant influencer disclosure statements.

Day 4: Industry-Specific Compliance in Advertising

Session 1: Compliance in Highly Regulated Industries (Finance, Healthcare, and Alcohol)

• Advertising rules for financial services (SEC, FINRA compliance).
• Healthcare marketing compliance (HIPAA, FDA regulations).
• Tobacco, alcohol, and gambling ad restrictions in different countries.

Session 2: Greenwashing, Ethical Advertising, and Sustainability Claims

• Green marketing regulations (EU Green Deal, FTC Green Guides).
• Risk of misleading sustainability claims in product marketing.
• Case study: Legal actions against brands for false sustainability advertising.

Session 3: Hands-on Lab 4 – Compliance Check for Industry-Specific Ads

• Participants evaluate and redesign a non-compliant industry ad.

Day 5: Future Trends, Compliance Frameworks, and Case Studies

Session 1: Emerging Trends in Advertising Compliance

• The rise of metaverse marketing and regulatory challenges.
• Dark patterns and deceptive UX: Are manipulative designs illegal?
• Future legal landscape: EU AI Act, FTC dark pattern investigations, and Big Tech regulations.

Session 2: Building a Strong Marketing Compliance Program

• Implementing a corporate advertising compliance strategy.
• Establishing internal audit and compliance review processes.
• Training teams on marketing ethics and legal obligations.

Session 3: Hands-on Lab 5 – Developing a Marketing Compliance Policy

• Participants create a marketing compliance checklist for their organizations.

Conclusion and Certification

• Final Q&A session and group discussion.
• Participants receive a Certificate in Advertising and Marketing Compliance upon successful completion of the course.