BBB National Programs Podcasts

In this episode of Ad Watchers, hosts provide an overview of some of the biggest points to consider when creating consumer perception surveys, such as whether it has an appropriate universe and a representative sample, how to determine if you have a well-designed questionnaire, and how to use these surveys effectively at NAD.

In the season two premiere of Ad Watchers, La Toya Sutton and her new co-host, Eric Unis, walk listeners through environmental benefit claims, or “green claims,” to help advertisers and practitioners think about the questions they should ask when advertising in this arena. Listen in to hear the four critical questions that companies should ask themselves when developing advertising that incorporates any type of environmental marketing claims.

As the drumbeat to modernize the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) continues, all components of the 1998 law have come under scrutiny, particularly the Safe Harbor provision. Under COPPA, the FTC has the ability to approve industry groups to administer self-regulatory programs implementing the protections for children outlined in the rule. Recently, some lawmakers have raised concerns that Safe Harbors are not an effective complement to the COPPA rule and might even be allowing for the rubberstamping of businesses that take advantage of Safe Harbors.

In this episode of The Accountability Studio, host Cobun Zweifel-Keegan is joined by Cisco's Vice President and Chief Privacy Officer, Harvey Jang, and BBB National Programs’ Director of Global Privacy Initiatives, Josh Harris, for a deep-dive into one company’s innovative approach to data privacy, accountability, and trust. Listen in to learn how Cisco developed its privacy program and how Jang and his team made privacy a business imperative for the company.

In the increasingly digital landscape, the influence of word-of-mouth has gone viral. Before making a purchase, consumers frequently turn to a product or service's reviews and ratings. Since consumers trust what other consumers have to say, brands want to leverage these voices—but are they responsible for them? In this episode, Hal and La Toya explore endorsements and testimonials, as well as the broader category of the implementation of user-generated content in advertising. Listen in to learn about the lines between user-generated content versus testimonials versus endorsements.

In the inaugural episode of The Accountability Studio, moderator Mary Engle, Executive Vice President, Policy poses a fundamental question to the leadership of BBB National Programs: Does independent, industry self-regulation really work? Program leaders responded with an emphatic ‘yes,’ but also laid out the numerous factors that can contribute to the success or failure of a self-regulatory initiative. Tune in to hear them discuss the problems in the marketplace that led to the creation of each of their programs, how their programs work, and what they think the future of independent industry self-regulation will look like.

Many privacy professionals see the depletion of third-party cookies, paired with several technological, political, and cultural factors, as the perfect storm for privacy and adtech – one that will bring about fundamental changes to the advertising industry and the broader digital marketplace. In this episode, privacy experts discuss the challenges and opportunities this ‘perfect storm’ is creating.