Participants’

Perspectives on 

Fine-Print 

Disclosures in TV 

Advertisements

Richard H. Kolbe 

Ph.D.

Kent State University

Department of Marketing

College of Business 

Administration
Background

Content Analyses of Prime 

Time and Children’s TV 

Ads

Survey of Those Who are 

Involved in the Presentation 

of Disclosures in TV Ads 

(Conducted in 1995)

All studies were conducted with 

Darrel Muehling 

Washington State University
Sample of 

Top 

Managers 

100 Leading National 

Advertisers

100 Largest U.S. 

Advertising Agencies

As listed in Advertising Age
65 Major Television Media 

Firms

27 Regulatory Agencies and 

Advertising Trade Associations

ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox, MTV, 

ESPN, CNN, The Disney Channel

FCC, FDA, FTC, 

U.S. Chamber of Commerce, 

NAD/NARB, AAAA, 

Advertising Council, 

Association of National 

Advertisers
Response Rate

Advertisers: 21 percent

Ad Agencies: 24 percent

Media Firms: 23 percent

Regulatory Agencies and 

Trade Associations: 

48 percent

Overall Response Rate: 

25 percent
Fine-Print Disclosures 

Defined:

Any part of an advertisement that 

appears in type size noticeably 

smaller than the headline or 

dominant ad copy

Any statement that is intended to 

augment, document, clarify, or 

delimit the selling message, offer 

advice, identify the product 

manufacturer, and/or provide 

supplemental information to the 

viewer
Issues Addressed

How do participants feel about 

fine-print disclosures on the 

dimension this advertising practice 

is most often criticized 

(i.e., readability)?

Why are fine-print disclosures 

used in ads?

How important is the issue of fineprint disclosures to participants 

and to whom do they perceive this 

issue is most important?
Major Findings

On the Issue of Readability

Most respondents believed that:

Consumers do not read, cannot read, do not 

attempt to read fine-print disclosures in 

TV ads.

Consumers cannot read disclosures in TV 

ads because it is on the screen too 

briefly

Advertisers do not expect consumers to 

read disclosures in TV ads
To Whom is the Issue of 

Fine-Print Disclosures 

Important?

The issue was perceived as 

important by each group of 

respondents.

Participants gave the issue more 

importance to other groups than 

themselves
Advertisers: Regulators and Media

Top Importance 

Ratings by Each 

Respondent Group

Ad Agencies: Regulators and Media

Media Firms: Ad Agencies and 

Regulators

Regulatory Bodies: Ad Agencies and

Regulators

Trade Associations: Ad Agencies and 

Media
Why are Fine-Print 

Disclosures Used in TV 

Advertisements?

In response to the question:

Fine-print disclosures are usually 

placed in ads because advertisers 

are required to do so.

Ad Agencies 4.92

Media 4.67

Trade Associations 

and Regulators 4.54

Advertisers 4.33

(Based on a 5-point scale)
Conclusions

Participants in the presentation 

of fine-print disclosures in TV 

ads recognize that the messages 

are not readable and therefore 

have little communication value

Participants saw fine-print 

disclosures as an important 

issue, but saw it as more 

important to others than 

themselves
Value of a Dialogue between 

Participants to Generate 

Consumer Useful Remedies