Legislative News To You

ICANN Proposal on Top-Level Domains   

In response to ICANN’s recent announcement to launch a new program to increase the number of generic Top-Level Domains (gTLD), a coalition of corporations and associations have asked the International Corporations for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) to delay the launch until safeguards have been enacted to protect businesses, brand owners and consumers.

Cited concerns regarding the immediate launch of the program include:

• Protecting consumers across the new gTLDs;
• Protecting companies and brand-owners across the new gTLDs; and
• The effect of the new gTLD program on ICANN and the Internet.

More information regarding the ICANN program launch and corporate/association comments can be found here.

Top-Level Domains (gTLD) are the portion of the Internet address to the right of the dot (.com, .org, .gov, etc.) The ICANN proposal would allow individuals, corporations or groups to purchase new gTLDs that could include any word or phrase, including company or brand names (i.e. .google, .sunshine, .cocacola.) More information on the ICANN proposal can be found on the ICANN website. (http://icann.org)

 

Huckabee and Associates, Inc. Hires Balcom Agency for New Website

Huckabee and Associates, Inc., an architectural design firm located in Fort Worth, has secured the Balcom Agency’s services for a new company website.

“We are proud to have the opportunity to work with a company like Huckabee,” said Stuart Balcom, the agency’s president. “Huckabee has designed some of the area’s finest educational facilities, and our goal is to develop a website that reflects the firm’s commitment to excellence and expansive portfolio.”

Huckabee is dedicated to providing innovative design, planning and management of educational facilities. Since its formation in 1967, the company has completed over 1,100 educational facility projects and delivered over $2 billion in construction costs. Named as one of the best firms to work for in 2008 by Zweig White, Huckabee is known for providing educational facilities that are sound, healthy and functional, as well as attractive and energy-efficient.

About Balcom Agency

Founded in 1993, the Balcom Agency has provided its clients with comprehensive creative, interactive, and public relations solutions to various business challenges. The agency’s roster includes such local, regional and national clients as Alcon Laboratories, the Barnett Shale Energy Education Council, Huckabee and Associates, Inc., Justin Boots, Justin Original Workboots, the Neeley School of Business at TCU, Norman Regional Health System, REAL School Gardens, Samsill, Southwest Bank, Texas Health Resources, Tony Lama and Weather Decision Technologies. Learn more by visiting www.balcomagency.com <http://www.balcomagency.com> .

Concussion Honored for Outstanding Web Creative

Concussion’s interactive department has received Silver W3 awards from the International Academy of Visual Arts for creative designs developed for clients AAF-Fort Worth and Bariatric Surgery at Plaza Medical Center.

Concussion’s interactive Web designs for the ’07 Fort Worth ADDY Awards and Bariatric Surgery at Plaza Medical Center were recognized as outstanding Web creatives. Concussion received a total of three Silver W3 awards: one for the ‘07 ADDY Awards and two for Bariatric Surgery at Plaza Medical Center.           

Bariatricfortworth.com came away with two Silver statues in the Health and Health Care Services categories. Concussion’s third W3 was awarded in the Strange and Unusual category for the ‘07 ADDY Awards. Submitorbedominated.net is an interactive piece that helped increase ‘07 ADDY applicants by more than 37%.

Douglas Cox, Interactive Director at Concussion, said, “We are pleased to be recognized for our creative endeavors among so many great interactive agencies. Web design is a growing industry in our community, and representing Fort Worth in this competition is an honor.” The Concussion submissions were among more than 3,000 entries.

The W3 Awards honor superior Web creativity and recognize the individuals behind award-winning Web sites, Web advertising and Web video. The W3 is sanctioned and judged by the International Academy of the Visual Arts, an invitation-only body consisting of top-tier professionals from a “Who’s Who” of acclaimed media, interactive, advertising and marketing firms.           

The W3 Awards seek to recognize both small and large firms alike, honoring excellent creative, user-friendly sites. Award recipients can be found on the Web at www.w3award.com.

Concussion is a full-service advertising, marketing and public relations firm based in Fort Worth, Texas. The agency has 55 professional staff members and bills approximately $23 million annually. Concussion handles a client list that includes casinos, commercial and residential real estate development, energy and natural gas, and consumer packaged goods.  For more information, visit www.concussioninteractive.com.

News To You

PhRMA Announces Changes to DTC Guidelines

The Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) board of directors has adopted changes to its Guiding Principles on Direct to Consumer Advertisements about Prescription Medicines (Click to see PhRMA Guidelines PDF.)

The voluntary guidelines provide direction on ways to ensure that DTC advertising is accurate, accessible and useful to patients. Among the changes are principles of identifying whether people appearing in ads are actual health care professionals, compensated celebrity endorsers or paid actors.

The revised guidelines state that DTC television or print advertisements with adult-oriented content should be placed only in media where at least 90 percent of the audience is expected to be at least 18 years old.

The new guidelines go into effect March 2009. A full list of the changes is available on the PhRMA website (Click to see PhRMA Press Release.)

AAF Shows Support for Automobile Industry

The downturn in the national economy has had an impact on advertising in both obvious and subtle ways. The domestic automobile industry-Chrysler, Ford Motor Company and General Motors Corporation-accounted for $4.6 billion in advertising spending in 2007, or 3.3 percent of all measured advertising spending. This spending supports countless jobs in the advertising industry at local, regional and national levels.

Because of the direct correlation between the Automobile and Advertising industries, the National AAF sent letters of support to members of Congress urging them to enact a federal assistance package for the industry. A copy of the letter is available here.

 

FTC Proposes Changes to Endorsement Guides

The Federal Trade Commission announced that it is seeking comments on proposed revisions to its endorsement guides. In its filing, the FTC said that proposed revisions will address endorsements by consumers, organizations and experts, and the material connections between advertisers and endorsers. More specifically, the proposed changes call for clearer disclosures when consumer endorsements do not reflect typical experience.

Last updated in 1980, the Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising provide advertisers with examples and interpretations of the FTC Act.  Comments will be accepted through January 30, 2009. The full register notice is available here.

ICANN Proposes Nearly Unlimited Top-Level Domain Options

A proposal to drastically increase the number of generic top-level Internet domains could have serious implications for companies operating and advertising online. In laymen's terms, top-level domains are those that exist on the right side of the dot. The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names of Numbers (ICANN) currently issues domain names for individuals and groups within a limited number generic top-level domains, such as .com, .org, .net, as well as country codes such as .us, .ca, and .uk.

ICANN plans to create and sell over 1,000 new top-level domains over the next three years, offering virtually unlimited options. Anticipated top-level domain names include business names, (for instance, .aaf, .google, .cocacola), product names (.corvette, .frostedflakes), and more generic terms (.soda, .newspaper, .television).

ICANN plans to set application fees for the new top-level domain names from $190,000 to $250,000 each. Critics are concerned that the change could cause unprecedented consumer confusion, abuse, fraud and disputes, "cyber squatting" and the problems associated with profiting from other companies' brands and trademarks. Organizations critical of the changes are banding together to urge ICANN to delay the rollout of this program until sufficient safeguards are in place to protect businesses, brand owners and consumers.

Rep. Waxman Named House Commerce Committee Chairman

Rep. Henry Waxman, D-Calif., will chair the powerful House Energy and Commerce Committee when the 111th Congress convenes in January. Waxman, the current chairman of the House Oversight and Investigations Committee, has long been a strong critic of advertising. Of note, he has called for stricter regulation of direct-to-consumer advertising of pharmaceuticals, tobacco advertising and product placement. Waxman challenged longtime Chairman John Dingell, D-Mich., who was ousted in a 137-122 vote. While Waxman has not yet set an agenda for the upcoming congressional term, it is anticipated that many advertising issues will face increased attention.

 

2008 Christmas Party

Christmas party has come and gone but it was fun! If you missed it, check out our photos.

Balcom Agency Launches Presence in Austin-Travis County

The Balcom Agency has expanded into the Austin, Texas market with the addition of Luisa Piette, a senior account executive in charge of business development and customer relations. A multilingual communications executive with more than two decades professional experience, Piette will represent the Fort Worth creative services agency in the Austin-Travis County region, one of the fastest growing metropolitan areas in the country.

“We are thrilled to have someone as savvy and experienced as Luisa join the Balcom team as we grow and expand into central Texas,” said Stuart Balcom, the agency’s president.

A seasoned communicator and business development expert, Piette began her career as a journalist and radio broadcaster for the BBC, and later worked for Radio France International and the Voice of America, covering current affairs and economic development.

Piette founded LHP Communications, Inc., a marketing communications and public relations consultancy, nearly 10 years ago, working with national and international clients such as The WAP Forum (now Open Mobile Alliance), Sprint, Webtiss Technologies, Ztango and Advanced Micro Devices. Earlier, she served as marketing manager for Nortel, a communications technology corporation.

Piette holds a Master’s degree in International Law and a Bachelor of Arts degree in French and Government from the University of Essex.