A number of advertising bodies like the ASA have recently drafted guidelines for an advertising code of practice to help combat issues like misleading content and paid-for advertising that people from across the globe are grappling with. The ARB’s draft policy aims to promote ethical conduct by marketers and influencers across all social media.
“The vision is that these regulations will be carried in the code of advertising practice, so they are going to apply to advertising content,” said Gail Schimmel, ARB CEO; “The IAB is the association for digital advertising agencies and publishers and they have driven this process.” Some of the proposed guidelines for social advertising in South Africa include the following:
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- Social media adverts must not contain deceptive, false or misleading content and messaging should be responsible and authentic
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- Brands are required to provide the influencer with enough info about whatever they’re about to endorse for sufficient understanding. It states “a brand should never mislead the influencer with the objective of having the influencer write an overly positive recommendation”
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- Influencers are also expected to disclose their involvement with the particular marketer.
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- In another section of the terms, it states that marketers are required to have a written contract with any paid influencers that include details of the brief and conditions of payment
- Provide the influencer with the required information for the influencer to endorse the product or service with sufficient understanding of it
