The Advertising Standards Authority of Ireland (ASAI) in conjunction with the CCPC, has published new & comprehensive guidance on advertising for influencers, which comes into effect on 1 November 2023. The guidance aims to ensure that influencer advertising is transparent and that consumers are aware of when they are being advertised to.
The key themes of the new guidance include:
- Transparency: Influencers must disclose their relationship with any brands they are promoting, and must make it clear when they are posting an ad.
- Authenticity: Influencers must be honest and genuine in their endorsements of products or services. They must not make misleading or exaggerated claims, and must avoid using deceptive practices.
- Protecting children: Influencers must be particularly careful when advertising to children, and must avoid promoting products or services that are unsuitable for them.
The new guidance also includes specific advice for influencers, brands, and advertising agencies.
For influencers:
- Make sure you clearly disclose your relationship with any brands you are promoting. This can be done in the caption of your post, in the video description, or in a pinned comment.
- Be honest and genuine in your endorsements. Don't make misleading or exaggerated claims, and don't promote products or services that you don't believe in.
- Avoid using deceptive practices. For example, don't edit your photos or videos to make products look better than they are, and don't fake testimonials.
- Be particularly careful when advertising to children. Don't promote products or services that are unsuitable for them, and avoid using techniques that are likely to exploit their vulnerability.
For brands:
- Choose influencers who align with your brand values and who are relevant to your target audience.
- Provide clear guidance to influencers on what you expect from them in terms of disclosure, authenticity, and protecting children.
- Monitor influencer campaigns to ensure that they comply with the ASAI's new guidance.
For advertising agencies:
- If your campaign will have reach into Ireland, addvise your clients on the ASAI's new guidance on influencer advertising.
- Ensure that influencer campaigns you develop comply with the new guidance.
Guidance flow chart for influencers
Page 8 has a handy flow chart to follow in their guide.
To round up
The ASAI's new guidance on advertising for influencers is a welcome step towards ensuring that this type of advertising is transparent, authentic, and ethical. By following the guidance, influencers, brands, and advertising agencies can help to protect consumers and build trust.
RippleXn believes in enabling the creator economy with advertising compliance as a fundamental tenant.
To quote the guide, “Remember: If in doubt, label it!”
To talk to our team about our social video monitoring suite of tools for brands and agencies.
References:
- The ASAI guidance document >>
- The ASAI website >>
- RTE newspaper 27th October 2023 >>
