Several seemingly "impromptu" tweets from ESPN NFL reporters Adam Schefter and Chris Mortensen again have "raised questions about whether media professionals should use their large personal followings on social media to plug products when their fans might expect news," according to Steven Perlberg of the WALL STREET JOURNAL. Schefter and Mortensen on New Year's Eve both tweeted messages mentioning Domino's Pizza "without any indication that they were sponsored." They were in fact "advertisements -- part of a larger effort by Domino’s across the world of ESPN." Schefter tweeted his note "to his nearly 4.5 million followers," while Mortensen later "tweeted to his 2 million followers."
The tweets also "received criticism because they lacked any advertising disclosure," an omission the FTC has "increasingly policed as social media marketing becomes more in vogue." A Domino’s spokesperson said of the lack of disclosure, "It was a mistake and we’ve made sure it won’t happen again." Perlberg notes personalities from other sports programming outlets like CBS, NBC, Fox and Turner "have endorsement deals with brands, too." ESPN in '11 "began posting a list of its commentators with endorsement deals, the only sports network to do so." The list is "not exhaustive, though, and only includes 'relevant' endorsements such as sports-focused brands." On-air personalities are "permitted to sign their own endorsement deals provided that ESPN approves." A source said that Schefter and Mortensen’s deals with Domino’s were "negotiated separately from ESPN’s ad deal with the company, but Domino’s did permit ESPN to approve the language of the tweets." Domino’s has "featured both commentators in recent ads" (
WALL STREET JOURNAL, 1/7).
