The commission noted that the guidelines in the Green Guide are not laws, and that they "do not preempt federal, state, or local laws. Compliance with those laws, however, will not necessarily preclude Commission law enforcement action under the FTC Act."
Even so, Christopher A. Cole, a partner in the advertising and marketing practice at the law firm Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, told the New York Times that marketers should still take the guide seriously."Every marketer ought to be looking at them carefully," Cole said. "These are not laws, but they are guidance. You ignore them at your peril." He added that the commission, which enforces truth in advertising laws, will use the Green Guide as a source when addressing environmental claims.
Kyle A. Richardson is the editorial director of Promo Marketing. He joined the company in 2006 brings more than a decade of publishing, marketing and media experience to the magazine. If you see him, buy him a drink.