Social Media Influencers
If you’ve scrolled down on social media recently, then we’re sure you would have come across social media influencers sharing posts with the hashtags #AD, #GIFT and #SPON. This is one of the most popular forms of advertising at the moment.
With the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) tightening their rules and regulations based around influencer advertising, it’s now more important than ever for influencers to fully disclose the nature of their posts to their followers
With the increasing regulation of social media advertising, brands need to ensure their social media influencer agreements are compliant to avoid any future run ins and reputational issues.
Increasing Enforcement action against Social Media Influencers
Advertising Standards Agency (ASA) has commenced its ‘name and shame’ activity with numerous social media influencers failing to comply with the CAP Code. Last year, complaints to the ASA were 55% higher than the year before, of which 2/3 were in relation to AD disclosure on Instagram.
Gabby Allen ( of LOVE ISLAND) was one of the recent social media influencers who was investigated by the ASA and held non-compliant in relation to her paid advertisement with Primark. As a result, ASA required the advertisement to be pulled down.
Three tips for brands to utilise influencers compliantly
- Carefully consider whether the brand will be providing payment to the influencers (which can include products or goods). The ASA expects transparent disclosure of all monetary payments, loans, services etc
- Ensure that the influencer is using clear and unambiguous labels such as AD or advertising. The use of other labels such as “sponsored” or “in association with [X] brand” are higher risk and are more likely to be considered non-compliant.
- Brands should be aware that additional rules may apply depending on the type of product or service being advertised (i.e. age-restricted products, promotion food / supplements or running giveaways).
Are you a business who wants to leverage influencer advertising on social media platforms?
