Cosmetic Advertising Regulations Explanatory Speech Outline

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, the relevance of clear and concise cosmetic advertising regulations cannot be overstated.
E. 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 made regarding the said cosmetic products.
B. Main Point 2: False advertising affects both the consumers of cosmetic products and the business entities that offer such products for sale
1. Sub point 1: In essence, attracting customers remains to be the ultimate goal of a business entity’s advertising efforts. However, when a business deviates from factual representation of its product’s characteristics and attributes and instead makes untrue claims about the product being offered for sale, it ends up losing the very customers it was seeking in the first place. Customers who feel deceived may not purchase the product again and are not likely to recommend the product to friends and family – essentially killing the repeat customer and referral counters.
2. Sub point 2: Deceptive advertising also has an economic and psychological impact on the customer. When an individual makes a purchase decision, there is an opportunity cost involved, in that he foregoes another product/service. When the purchase decision is founded on misrepresentations and falsehoods, then wastage of economic resources could be said to have taken place. Further, when the customer has high expectations about a specific product based on the representations made, and then the said product fails to deliver, such a customer is likely to experience distress and misery.
Transition (summary, signpost, preview): It is, therefore, clear that the need for meaningful and appropriate interventions to curb false advertising cannot be overstated. An evaluation of the regulatory regime in place on this front would be appropriate.
C. Main Point 3: Advertising, as authors Stafford and Faber observe, has got to do with the promotion of a specified product or service via a medium accessible to the general public. Essentially, when it comes to cosmetic advertising regulation, two agencies have jurisdiction over the said matter, i.e. the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).
1. Sub point 1: The FDA has mandate over cosmetic products labeling. It is important to note that although FDA has authority to investigate cosmetic products that are misbranded or adulterated; under the law, and I quote FDA, “cosmetic products and ingredients do not need FDA premarket approval, with the exception of color additives.”
2. Sub point 2: The FTC has mandate over advertising of cosmetic products. Towards this end, the commission institutes investigations upon advertisements that are deemed misleading and defective.
Transition and signal closing: These two agencies work closely with each other so as to ensure that consumers are protected from false advertising practices.
III. Conclusion (Approximately 30 seconds-1 minute)
A. Restate Thesis: There is need for consumers to be protected from false misrepresentations regarding the attributes and characteristics of cosmetic products, especially given the existing motivation for businesses to ‘cut corners’ so as to remain relevant in an increasingly competitive beauty products industry.
B. Review Main Points: Despite the best efforts of both the FDA and FTC, some cosmetic products still make false representations with regard to their attributes and characteristics. Such claims and practices often affect both the consumers of cosmetic products and the business entities that offer such products for sale.
C. Memorable Closer: Anybody, including yourself (points to audience), could fall victim to false representations regarding the attributes as well as characteristics of certain cosmetic products. In that regard, therefore, we all ought to be ambassadors for fair advertising practices in the cosmetic industry, both at present and in the future.












References
Federal Trade Commission – FTC. (2018). Enforcement. Retrieved from https://www.ftc.gov/enforcement
Fowler, J., Reisenwitz, T.H. & Carlson, L. (2015). Deception in Cosmetics Advertising: Examining Cosmetics Advertising Claims in Fashion Magazine Ads. Journal of Global Fashion Marketing, 6(3), 194-206.
Food and Drug Administration – FDA. (2018). FDA Authority Over Cosmetics: How Cosmetics Are Not FDA-Approved, but Are FDA-Regulated. Retrieved from https://www.fda.gov/Cosmetics/GuidanceRegulation/LawsRegulations/ucm074162.htm#What_does_the_law
Stafford, M.R. & Faber, R.J. (2005). Advertising, Promotion, and New Media. New York, NY: M.E. Sharpe.