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Dos and Donts

Do the right thing. Always.

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INFLUENCERS

  1. Label sponsored posts with only the tags #Ad, #Sponsored, #Collaboration, #Partnership, #Employee, #Free gift.
  2. Superimpose labels on stories and video posts that are unaccompanied by a caption or text, so that each and every viewer can easily spot the message.
  3. Add your disclosure in English or in the same language as your promoted content.
  4. Check with the brand you will endorse about its messaging; if it’s misleading or unsubstantiated, you could be held accountable unless you have done your due diligence.
  5. Add the disclosure label whenever the following material connections are involved:
    • Monetary exchange
    • Media barters
    • Trips, holidays, meals, product exchange
    • Gifts
  6. Disclose that your followers aren’t interacting with a human being, in case you’re a virtual influencer.

  1. Mislead the viewer by leaving out relevant disclosure tags.
  2. Hide the disclosure message in your bio or bury it deep in the post caption.
  3. Push paid barter content as editorial content.
  4. Add disclosures for meals, products and services you have paid for.
  5. Use filters on apps to mislead consumers when it comes to benefits (making hair shinier, teeth whiter, etc.).

BRANDS

  1. Educate the influencer about the correct benefits of the product or service to avoid
    misleading messages and claims to the audience.
  2. Ensure the influencer uses the correct disclosure labels for your sponsored post.
  3. Have a clear, transparent contract with the influencer with clauses pertaining to
    disclosures.
  4. Work with the Advertising Standards Council of India in case the influencer is found to
    violate rules.
  5. Use ASCI’s ‘Advertising Advice’ service to check if your ad is in potential violation
    of any guidelines.

  1. Push a product or service as a gift and ask the influencer to do a free promotion post.
  2. Ask influencers to use filters to promote the product or service benefits that enhance the impression of the benefit.
  3. Violate the Advertising Standards Council of India’s Influencer Marketing Guidelines.
  4. Forget to self-regulate!