Explanatory Speech Outline: Cosmetic Advertising Regulations I. Introduction

A. Attention Getter: Imagine buying a cosmetic product that promises to leave your skin smooth and supple in a matter of days, only to use the said product for 3 consecutive months with no noticeable change with regard to the texture of your skin.

B. Background and Audience Relevance: In some countries, false representations in cosmetic product advertising are commonplace. In the U.S., significant gains have been made over time to stamp out false cosmetic products representations. However, some products still make claims that are not only deceptive, but also misleading to consumers. There is need for you to be aware of not only the legal framework in place to regulate cosmetic products advertising, but also the impact of deceptive cosmetic advertising. This way, you could become ambassadors for fair advertising practices in the cosmetic industry, now and in the future, by perhaps voicing concerns or making recommendations on additional measures that ought to be undertaken to rein in deceptive advertising of cosmetic products.

C. Speaker Credibility: It is important to note that this is a concern I am well versed with from previous discussions with two close family members who work in the giant cosmetic industry. While my dad is a cosmetic industry expert in Korea, my brother happens to be an executive in one of the cosmetic companies having operations across the world.

D. Thesis: In instances where there are no proper regulations and legal structures in place to govern advertising, business entities in the increasingly competitive cosmetic industry could be motivated to make false claims in their labeling and mass media representations so as to remain relevant. In that regard, therefore,...

Preview of Main Points: In addition to assessing the current state of affairs as far as cosmetic product advertising is concerned, this speech will also highlight some of the more prominent effects of false advertising practices and the role of cosmetic advertising regulations in the entire setup.
Transition to first main point: From the onset, it would be appropriate to assess the current state of affairs as far as cosmetic product advertising is concerned.

II. Body

A. Main Point 1: False advertising is commonplace in cosmetics advertising, with most of the product attributes stated being bogus.

1. Sub point 1: According to a recent study conducted by Fowler, Reisenwitz, and Carlson, quite a significant number of cosmetic products present claims that are not trustworthy. As the authors of this particular study, which appeared in the Journal of Global Fashion and Marketing, further point out, while claims of a scientific nature routinely omit info deemed important, claims of superiority are in most cases untrue.

2. Sub point 2: There is one major reason as to why false advertising claims in this particular industry continue to be commonplace. Some studies, such as the one done by Fowler, Reisenwitz, & Carlson, indicate that the FDA has almost exclusively focused on cosmetic products physical safety (and has ‘forgotten’ to assess advertising claims and their reasonability).

Transition (summary, signpost, preview): In essence, it is apparent that most cosmetic products are falsely represented in the marketplace. Now, it would be interesting to highlight some of the consequences and effects of the false advertising claims…