The 3rd Edition of Advertising and Marketing Law in Canada by Brenda Pritchard and Susan Vogt was officially released on January 14th at Gowlings’ head office in Toronto.
Read the rules is the #1 tip I give entrants. Have airtight rules is the #1 tip I give to contest sponsors. I give that tip to companies because most people do not realize that the rules are a legal and binding contract between the sponsor and the entrant. If a contest’s rules do not properly follow Canadian promotional laws, a company could find themselves in legal hot water. Chapter 8 covers Contest and Promotions. Brenda and Susan discuss topics such as: the Criminal Code, the Competition Act, no purchase entries, skill testing questions and the Regis des alcools, des courses et des jeux. Sometimes the law, and legalese, can be complex and difficult to understand. With that in mind, they have written their book with the corporate advertiser and marketer in mind. It is easy to read and quickly grasp the important points of each section.
Of course, I do find myself bias to Contest and Promotions chapter, as I quoted several sections in my book You Can’t Win If You Don’t Enter, but as a marketer the other chapters are also very relevant to me depending on the project I am working on. Advertising and Marketing Law in Canada is their largest edition to-date (532 pages) and covers a myriad of topics such as: basic principles, false advertising, advertising claims, Worst Case Scenarios, pricing in advertising, User Generated Content, Green Marketing, Advertising To Children, packaging, labelling, Drugs and Natural Health Products, cosmetics advertising, food advertising, regulations of specific market sectors, trademarks, marketing communications, Privacy Law in Canada, Uniquely Quebec Issues, advertising agencies, and more… If your job function touches advertising or marketing in any way, or if your business runs contests and sweepstakes, Advertising and Marketing Law in Canada is a must read.
I also had the pleasure of finally meeting both Brenda and Susan at the book launch!
