CIPR welcomes influencers' commitment to transparency
The CIPR has welcomed a commitment from social media influencers to be more transparent when advertising brands and products online.
The influencers' pledge follows an investigation by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) into advertising compliance launched last August.
Sixteen influential celebrities, including Ellie Goulding, Rita Ora and Michelle Keegan, have said they will now clearly state when they have been paid, or received gifts or loans, to endorse products online.The CMA has also sent warning letters to several other celebrities, urging them to review their practices.
State of the Profession research indicates more than half (52%) of public relations professionals spend most or some of their time working on influencer relations.
The CIPR has long been clear on this issue. Failing to declare paid-for endorsements is against the law and a breach of our Code of Conduct. Public relations professionals have an ethical duty to ensure brands and influencers get this right. Today's news is a welcome step forward for the influencer relations industry and we commend the CMA for its work on this vital issue. This is a win-win for everyone concerned.
Influencer marketing is big business. Over $5bn was spent on influencer marketing on Instagram in 2018. Yet the vast majority of communicators are confused by the guidelines surrounding the fast-growing discipline. According to new research by social media management platform, Buffer, just 6% of respondents said influencer marketing guidelines are ‘very clear'. This pledge to the CMA by these 16 social media influencers to improve the way they label their social media advertisements will help bring greater awareness of the rules to communicators, influencers and, most importantly, consumers.
About the Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR)
Founded in 1948, the Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR) is the Royal Chartered professional body for public relations practitioners in the UK and overseas. The CIPR is the largest membership organisation for PR practitioners outside of North America. By size of turnover and number of individually registered members, we are the leading representative body for the PR profession and industry in Europe.
The CIPR advances professionalism in public relations by making its members accountable to their employers and the public through a code of conduct and searchable public register, setting standards through training, qualifications, awards and the production of best practice and skills guidance, facilitating Continuing Professional Development (CPD), and awarding Chartered Public Relations Practitioner status (Chart.PR).