WASHINGTON: With the new Federal Trade Commission (FTC) guidelines now in effect, it falls on the shoulders of agencies and firms to ensure their social media, word of mouth marketing, and celebrity endorsements adhere to the guidelines set forth.

The guidelines, the first put out by the FTC since 1980, call for marketers to disclose their connection to advertisers of products they're endorsing, a stipulation that PR pros are making sure they meet through a variety of means. 

Paul Rand, president-elect ...