In Brief: FTC Cracks Down on Health Claims; Press Leaks Propel Prince Harry Memoir

The FTC Cracks Down on Vague Health Claims

The Federal Trade Commission has updated its guidelines for advertising health-related products, a potential rude awakening for marketers who are used to making vague, misleading or overzealous claims, The Wall Street Journal reported. 

In late December, the agency published its “Health Products Compliance Guidance” to update and replace its 1998 “Dietary Supplements: An Advertising Guide for Industry.” The new title is meant to clarify that the guidelines apply to all health-related claims, not just to those for supplements.

Some marketers have relied on vague claims, for example that a product “may” have a claimed health benefit or that it “helps” achieve something. The FTC’s updated guidelines say “vague qualifying terms” are inadequate. All parties participating in marketing are obligated to ensure health claims are presented truthfully. 

Experts say the guidelines may make marketing more difficult for small businesses that can’t afford the research required to validate certain health claims. The agency expects companies to support health-related claims with “high-quality, randomized, controlled, human clinical trials.” 

Did Press Leaks Make Prince Harry’s Memoir a Bestseller?

Before the Jan. 10 publication of Prince Harry’s memoir “Spare,” teasers about its contents were revealed to the press — building excitement for the book but also raising the possibility that those revelations might cause potential readers to lose their curiosity, The New York Times reported.

Among the teasers covered in the media is Harry’s claim that his brother William knocked him to the floor during a fight.

Publishers often use embargoes to prevent leaks, but publishing executives say that they can spark media coverage and build interest. Books marketed through leaked nuggets sometimes see their sales nosedive once the news cycle moves on. 

During the week of its release, the media frenzy for “Spare” seemed to be working. “Spare” sold 1.43 million copies on its first day, including pre-orders, a record for any nonfiction book ever published by Penguin Random House. 

Decline Meeting Invites, Shopify Tells Employees

Shopify says it’s canceling all recurring meetings of more than two people, Bloomberg reported. The Canadian-based e-commerce firm won’t hold meetings on Wednesdays, while meetings of more than 50 people will only be held on Thursdays, limited to one a week. Shopify’s leaders are encouraging employees to decline other meetings and to remove themselves from large internal chat groups.

According to a 2022 survey, employees in general spend an average 18 hours a week in meetings and decline just 14% of meeting invitations. At large organizations, employees reluctantly attending nonessential meetings wastes about $100 million a year, the survey found. No-meeting policies can increase productivity and reduce employee stress, according to research from France’s NEOMA Business School.

Shopify says a bot will enforce its new meeting rules. The changes come amid cost-cutting measures at the company, which was a hot pandemic stock before its shares fell by 75% last year. Shopify cut about 10% of its workforce over the summer.

Americans Browse Social Media More Than They Post 

Adults in the United States often use social media, but they’re more inclined to browse those platforms than to add their own content, a recent Gallup survey found. In fact, less than half of those surveyed who have social media accounts post their own items, according to survey samples designed to be representative of the U.S. adult population.

Per Gallup, 49% of Facebook account holders say they post content there at least occasionally, compared to 42% on Instagram. Even among young adults (ages 18-34), only half of those with Instagram accounts add content there. 

YouTube is among the most popular social media platforms, yet only 11% of its account holders post their own videos either frequently or occasionally. A third of Twitter account holders add content to the platform. 

Americans appear to use social media more to learn what’s happening with others — and to hear what others think — than to share their own experiences and opinions, Gallup says.