FTC Advertising Compliance Attorney Richard Newman Quoted by Bloomberg News on Fyre Festival

Did Fyre Festival Influencers Violate FTC Endorsement Guidelines?

Internet marketing attorney Richard B. Newman was quoted by Bloomberg News in an article entitled “How to Prevent Another Fyre Festival.”  The article discusses facts surrounding the Fyre Festival and its creator Bill McFarland in the context of recent documentaries released in January 2019.  McFarland is presently serving a six-year federal prison sentence.

The Fyre Festival was promoted on social media as an exclusive music festival on a remote island in the Bahamas.  Luxury accommodations and food were promised.  The Fyre Festival was promoted by prestigious influencers and models, some of whom were reportedly compensated for their efforts.  Reports are that some spent as much as $250,000 on tickets but were ultimately housed in makeshift tents, stranded, provided minimal food and water and no music festival.

In the article, Richard discusses the FTC Endorsement Guidelinesopens in a new tab and recent Federal Trade Commission efforts to police social media influencers.

According to the Guidelines, if there is a material connection between an endorser and the marketer that consumers would not expect and it would affect how consumers evaluate the endorsement, that connection should be disclosed.

View the article at Bloomberg Newsopens in a new tab) (subscription required).