Expert Witness Blog
Advertising expert witnesses may consult and testify on issues including comparative advertising, deceptive ads, consumer behavior, and false advertising. On 1/9/14, FTC.org reported:
The Federal Trade Commission announced today that nine auto dealers agreed to settle deceptive advertising charges, and the agency is taking action against a 10th dealer, in a nationwide sweep focusing on the sale, financing, and leasing of motor vehicles.
According to the complaints, the dealers made a variety of misrepresentations in print, Internet, and video advertisements that violated the FTC Act, falsely leading consumers to believe they could purchase vehicles for low prices, finance vehicles with low monthly payments, and/or make no upfront payment to lease vehicles. One dealer even misrepresented that consumers had won prizes they could collect at the dealership. The FTC website shows an ad with an advertised price that was after a $5,000 down payment, but that detail was only noted in fine print at the bottom of the ad.