Consumer Research at the Federal Trade Commission: My Experiences from 1992 to 1993

Abstract

and colleagues. The purpose of this invited reflection is to share my experiences as a Consumer Research Specialist at the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) in Washington, D.C. from July 1, 1992, through June 30, 1993. I appreciate the vision of Bill Wilkie in creating this special section on the FTC for this issue of Journal of Public Policy & Marketing (JPPM). The experiences of marketing academics at the FTC are important because the Commission has represented the primary regulatory body of business and marketing practices since its inception in 1914 (its expansion of powers in 1938 include consumer protection). It is my hope that my own valuable experience can serve as a model for other marketing academics who may be interested in starting or re-energizing their career in the marketing and public policy discipline through direct work at federal agencies such as the FTC. This reflection discusses how I obtained the position, what I did for the Commission, what impact it had on me, and what has happened as a result of the experience and afterward.