Slapping a “Made in the USA” label on your product? You might be setting your brand up for an FTC beatdown.
In this episode of Marketing on Trial, Emma Rainville teams up with FTC compliance attorney Ryan Poteet to dissect the new crackdown on origin claims. With the FTC zeroing in on brands like Amazon and Walmart, enforcement around "Made in USA" labeling is no longer theoretical — it's here, it's real, and it's ruthless. Whether you're in supplements, consumer goods, or apparel, if you're using patriotic branding or making origin claims without rock-solid documentation, you’re a target.
From dissecting what “all or virtually all” really means, to how manufacturers and marketers get blindsided by overseas components, Emma and Ryan break it down in real-world terms with no fluff and all fire. This is not just about compliance. It’s about protecting millions in revenue.
We cover:
- Why “Made in USA” is now an FTC bullseye
- The exact threshold for legal origin claims
- Real case studies of compliance failures
- How to audit your product and marketing copy
- What marketers must document — and what’s not enough
Timestamps:
(0:00) Intro: Why “patriotic branding” can destroy your business
(2:11) The FTC’s Made in USA Month and enforcement pivot
(4:32) What “all or virtually all” means — the unqualified claim trap
(7:05) Real-world compliance failures: docks, steel, and supplements
(8:48) Your compliance checklist: marketing claims vs. ingredient truth
(10:00) What documentation marketers must request from manufacturers
(11:30) Trust, contracts, and how to protect your company
(13:02) Visionary Vault: Access our compliance checklist free
(14:19) Outro and final compliance warning
Download the Free Made in USA Compliance Checklist. Sign up for the Visionary Vault at www.specialopspodcast.com to get the downloadable compliance checklist
Explore Free Resources at the Visionary Vault:
https://specialopspodcast.com/visiona...
Get in Touch with Ryan Poteet:
Website: https://www.grsm.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryan-poteet-43098ba
Get in Touch with Emma Rainville:
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