ADVERTISING REQUIREMENTS

PRINT:	Logo can be printed in one of three ways:  all white, all black or black with gold ring. Logos cannot be modified/distorted in any way. All print advertising must be pre-approved by the Whirlpool® Program Coordinator. Proofs can be faxed to 904-407-8470, Attn: Whirlpool® Director of Marketing.
SHIRTS:	Must be used in a professional manner and in professional colors. Logo cannot be modified/distorted in any way.
LOGO:	(Applies to all advertising mediums): Cannot be used with any registered competitive brand logos. Entire logo must be completely visible. Logo cannot be inlayed in another piece of artwork Logo cannot be distorted
MISCELLANEOUS:	Advertisement cannot make statements and/or claims other than those authorized by Whirlpool®. Taglines cannot be altered.

Legal Standards

Both federal and state laws regulate advertising. Under the law, your ad is unlawful if it tends to mislead or deceive. This means the government doesn’t have to prove at an administrative hearing or in court that the ad actually fooled anyone, only that it had a deceptive quality, regardless of your intentions. If your ad is deceptive, you will face legal problems even if you have the best intentions in the world. What counts is the overall impression created by the ad, not the technical truthfulness of the individual parts. Taken as a whole, your ad must fairly inform the ordinary customer.

In addition, if your ad contains a false statement, you have violated the law. The fact that you didn’t know the information was false is irrelevant.

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is the main federal agency that takes action against unlawful advertising. State and local governments also go after businesses that violate advertising laws; usually this is the responsibility of the state attorney general, consumer protection agency, and local district attorney. Consumers and competitors may also be able to proceed directly against the advertiser.

Be Accurate: Make sure your ads are factually correct and see that they don’t tend to deceive or mislead the buying public. Don’t show a picture of this year’s model of a product if what you are selling is last year’s model, even if they look almost the same.

Be truthful about what consumers can expect from your product. Don’t say ABC pills will cure headaches if the pills offer only temporary pain relief. Don’t claim a rug shampooer is capable of removing all kinds of stains when in fact there are some that will not budge.

Treat Competitors Fairly: Don’t knock the goods, services, or reputation of others by giving false or misleading information. If you compare your goods and services with those of other companies, double-check your information to make sure that every statement in your ad is accurate. Then check again.

Watch Out for the Word Free: If you say that goods or services are free or without charge, be sure there are not unstated terms or conditions that qualify the offer. If there are any limits, state them clearly and conspicuously.

Be Careful When Describing A Sale: You should be absolutely truthful in all claims about pricing. Be sure to describe all sale offers clearly and completely.

FINANCING

The replacement or service of an A/C and Heating system is rarely planned. In most cases, homeowners consider the failure of their central A/C or heating system a setback instead of an opportunity to upgrade to a new high efficiency home comfort system. Offering financing such as Home Climate Credit provides you an advantage in turning a setback into an opportunity.

Consumer Financing programs are designed to help your business grow. Most consumers look for financing when making large purchases. With credit approval in minutes, Home Climate Credit financing options help you to close the sale before you leave the customers home.

When advertising financing on Whirlpool® Home Cooling and Heating products through the Home Climate Credit use the following disclaimers:

Specific Credit Terms: any specific components of a credit plan, i.e., minimum periodic payment amount.

Finance Charge as a percentage rate (APR): If the rate provides for variable periodic rate, that fact shall be disclosed, i.e., “Annual Percentage Rate may vary”.

Minimum Finance Charges

Method of Payment

Credit Approval

Annual Fee/Transaction Fees

These terms may be incorporated into the body of the advertisement or disclosed in a footnote.

Observe Limitations on Offers of Credit: Do not advertise that you offer easy credit unless it is true. A business that is not careful in this area can be charged with engaging in an unfair or deceptive practice that violates the FTC law. You must state that all credit offers are subject to credit approval. If you advertise specific credit terms, you must provide all relevant details, including the down payment, the terms of repayment, and the annual interest rate.