The useful answer: an attribution line should tell the reader, in plain words at the point of the quote, what connection exists between the person quoted and the company or project making the announcement. If there is no connection that a significant minority of readers would not expect, a disclosure line is not needed. The FTC's Endorsement Guides describe exactly this test.
The template below turns that principle into reusable lines for crypto press releases, governance posts and product notes. Every example is a template, not a real announcement, and nothing here should be filled in to invent news.
The principle in one paragraph
The FTC guidance frames the question by asking whether a recommendation would factor into a buying decision, and whether a connection between endorser and marketer would affect how readers evaluate that endorsement. If such a connection exists, it should be disclosed clearly and conspicuously. The guidance gives relatives and employees of the marketer as an example, and says the same is usually true if the endorser has been paid or given something of value to tout the product.
The stated reason is that knowing about the connection is important information for anyone evaluating the endorsement. The guidance summarises the issue as whether the audience understands the reviewer's relationship to the company whose products are being recommended — and says that if the audience understands the relationship, a disclosure isn't needed.
Template: status and attribution line pairs
Use the left column for what the announcement is doing, and the right column for a model attribution line. Bracketed parts are placeholders for the editor to fill from verified announcement facts only.
| Announcement type | Model attribution line (template) |
|---|---|
| Quote from a paid spokesperson or ambassador | "[Name] is a paid ambassador for [Project] and was compensated for this statement." |
| Quote from an employee or founder | "[Name] is [role] at [Project]." |
| Quote from a relative of a project lead | "[Name] is a [relationship] of [Project lead]." |
| Quote from an investor or partner | "[Name] is [role] at [Firm], which is an investor in [Project]." |
| Quote from an unaffiliated community member | "[Name] holds no paid role with [Project] and received no compensation for this statement." |
| Free product, travel or access | "[Name] received [item] at no cost from [Project] in connection with this statement." |
What makes a line work
- Placement: the line sits with the quote, not only in a footer, so it reaches readers who skim.
- Plain wording: name the relationship and any payment or benefit, rather than a vague word like "partner" that leaves the connection unclear.
- Specific but not speculative: state only what the announcement can confirm. Do not guess at compensation that has not been stated.
- Consistent labels: use the same phrasing for the same relationship across announcements so readers can compare.
A worked example, clearly hypothetical
Hypothetical: an editor is preparing a template post in which a reviewer praises a resort stay. The FTC guidance describes a comparable scenario: a glowing YouTube review, a hotel that paid the reviewer hundreds of dollars, or a free multi-day stay. In the template, the editor would place the disclosure beside the quote rather than after it.
Hypothetical: if an announcement contains three quotes — one from an employee, one from a paid ambassador and one from an uncompensated community member — the editor would attach a distinct line to each, and would not reuse the same line across all three.
A short checklist before publishing
- Does each quoted person have a stated relationship to the project?
- Is any payment, gift or free access named in the attribution line?
- Would a reader who skims still see the connection?
- Is the line based on verified announcement facts rather than assumptions?
- Are template placeholders fully replaced, with none left in the published text?
What the source does not say
The FTC guidance does not provide crypto-specific rules, token disclosure formats or any standard for digital-asset announcements. It does not state a required sentence, a required placement or a required level of detail for attribution lines. It does not address anonymous team members, pseudonymous reviewers or wallet-based relationships.
It also does not say that every announcement needs a disclosure line — it says a disclosure isn't needed where the audience already understands the relationship. Nothing in the source establishes penalties, enforcement outcomes or compliance certification for any particular announcement. The templates above are editorial structures, not legal advice, and an editor should confirm any announcement-specific obligation before publishing.