CHICAGO, Nov. 17, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Procter & Gamble's Chief Legal Officer Deborah Platt Majoras delivered a keynote address to an audience of leading attorneys, brand marketers and policymakers at the 34^th Annual Promotion Marketing Association Marketing Law Conference in Chicago.   

Her remarks stressed the need for brand marketers to empower the public and ensure consumer protection through fair competition.  "Consumers not only have access to a dizzying array of information; they are also creating and providing information," said Majoras.  "They are not passive recipients, but active participants in the brand building."

When discussing the need for collaborative industry efforts to ensure consumer protections on a quickly shifting marketing landscape, Majoras – a former Chairman of the Federal Trade Commission – said, "Enforcers and regulators should support effective self-regulation.  I've been a very big supporter of self-regulation for a long time.  It's not perfect but government regulation isn't either."

Majoras also said that privacy policies and choices designed by a company must be transparent for both the consumer and for the marketers around the world who need to understand and implement them.  She said that marketers should bring the same creativity to their privacy and disclosure protocols as they do to creation of products for the market.

She reminded the audience that the industry needs to continue to work together to create the empowerment the public wants.   "The new trusted heroes in our society are everyday people.  Consumers want to know who's behind the brands?  Can they be trusted?  Are we really interested in making the world a better place?"

"Trust is a cornerstone of the corporate mission," said Majoras in closing.  "It will be working together as a legal community that we find the best practices and solutions."

About the PMA

Founded in 1911, the New York based PMA is the national non-profit trade association dedicated to the industry of marketing disciplines that motivate behavior, activate response and build brands.  Representing $1 trillion in sales, these disciplines include promotion marketing, digital marketing, shopper/retailer marketing, sponsorship and experiential marketing.  The organization's membership is comprised of Fortune 500 companies, top marketing agencies, law firms, retailers, service providers and academia, representing thousands of brands worldwide.  More information is available at www.pmalink.org.

SOURCE PMA