One of the reasons I enjoy working in advertising, marketing, and promotions law is the amazing variety of promotions that come across my desk, each somehow more imaginative and cutting-edge than the last. (I’ve discussed some of the most unique sweepstakes here.)
While I wouldn’t claim an ounce of the creative flair so frequently exhibited by these companies and their fantastic advertising/marketing teams, I like to add a touch of color to our blog when I can. So it goes without saying that last month when I came across attorney Bob Kohn’s inspired comic-book take on an amicus brief, it certainly caught my eye.
Our sweepstakes team set out to riff on that unique communications avenue and use it to highlight the importance of a careful legal review of any sweepstakes, contest, or other marketing promotion.
Today I’m proud to debut the result: “Swept Away" a two-page comic that follows the colorful misadventures of a marketing team that makes a questionable choice on their official rules and ends up paying the price (literally).
The format is fun, for sure, but the message is serious, and one that I’ve stressed on the Sweepstakes Law Blog many times before. If you grab generic sweepstakes language and slap it on your product or promotion, you run the risk of violating any number of sweepstakes regulations and rules.
Take it from this irate Canadian Mountie horse: You do not want to run afoul of sweepstakes laws.
What do you think of our sweepstakes comic? What other sweepstakes law topics would you want us to address in ink and paint? Leave us a message in the comments section.
This post was written by retired Thompson Coburn partner Dale Joerling. If you have any questions about the topics discussed in this post, please contact Thompson Coburn partner Hap Burke.