Who can be held responsible if it turns out that the advertising for a product is false?
A.: The usual culprit is the company that is selling the product. But the advertising agency that created the ad also might be held responsible if it can show that the agency contributed to misleading the consumer by not verifying the information provided by the company. 2/14/2006 Law You Can Use is a weekly consumer legal information column provided by the Ohio State Bar Association. This article was prepared by Professors Frances L. Collins and Timothy D. Smith, who teach in the School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Kent State University. Collins teaches advertising, including a course in advertising and public relations law. Smith, an attorney, specializes in news media law.
