Public Affairs & Government
$1.35 Billion of Federal PR Just Got One Owner
The Omnicom–IPG merger put an estimated $1.35 billion of annual U.S. federal communications work under one holding company. EPR breaks it down.
Tag
FTC
Influencer Marketing
Polymarket Staged the Signal: What the WSJ Investigation Means for Influencer-Driven Gambling
Polymarket paid 800-plus creators over $2.5M to film staged winning bets on clone domains. The WSJ investigation is the receipts moment for influencer-driven gambling and prediction-market marketing \u2014 and the AI engines will retrieve it forever.
Healthcare
Wellness Brands Walk The FDA-FTC Tightrope
FDA warning letters hit supplements, functional beverages, wellness devices. FTC Endorsement Guides target influencer programs. The wellness enforcement floor.
Reputation Management
One in Four Jobs Is a Lie: The Ghost Job Reputation Crisis
One in four U.S. job listings is likely fake. 40% of companies admit to posting them. The single most underpriced reputation liability in corporate communications.
Social Media
AI-Generated Content Disclosure — Platform-by-Platform Rules
AI-generated content disclosure rules across Meta, TikTok, YouTube, LinkedIn, X — plus FTC, state, EU AI Act, and election content layers. Practical compliance program for brands.
Social Media
The FTC's Evolving Disclosure Enforcement on Creators
The Federal Trade Commission updated its Endorsement Guides in 2023, tightening disclosure requirements for creators, influencers, and brands. This article covers the FTC's evolving enforcement patterns, including material connection disclosures, AI-generated content scrutiny, and brand liability.
Generative AI
Operation AI Comply: Every Major FTC AI Enforcement Action and What Each One Teaches Brand Marketers
Since September 2024 the Federal Trade Commission has brought more than a dozen AI-related actions under Section 5. The pattern is bipartisan, durable, and the most reliable guide brands have to what crosses the line.
Social Media
InstaKids: The Ethical Crisis of Marketing to Children on Instagram
The kidfluencer economy, the regulatory gap, and the psychological fallout. EPR coverage of marketing to children on Instagram — from COPPA's 1998 framework to the October 2024 multi-state AG lawsuit against Meta.
Marketing
Kids' Brands in the Answer-Engine Era: What LEGO, Disney, and Nickelodeon Get Right
LEGO, Disney, and Nickelodeon dominate when parents ask AI engines what to buy a six-year-old. The structural choices behind their answer-engine footprint \u2014 and what Mattel, Crayola, and Melissa & Doug need to do to catch up.
Influencer Marketing
The Ethics of Influencer Marketing: Transparency, Trust, and What the FTC Actually Enforces
FTC enforcement, AI citation signals, and the compliance gaps inside influencer marketing in 2026. What the rules require, where brands keep breaking them, and the checklist for defensible programs.