Is #AD really looking out for the consumer or is it just annoying?
Half the things I buy today are because a pretty Instagram blogger wore it. There, I said it. I admit that I have fallen victim to the world of good lighting and not-so-subtle product placement in fashion blogger Arielle Charnas’ Instagram photos. Although I’m not mad about it, the Federal Trade Commission might be.
The Federal Trade Commission, more commonly known as the FTC, is the government-backed regulation system dedicated to “Protecting America’s Consumers”. Basically, it’s their job to decide whether an influencer/Instagrammer/blogger has to feature #AD on their sponsored posts or not. With their latest update, it seems that the Instagrammer almost always has to say #AD now.
As consumers, we should certainly be grateful for the FTC trying to protect us from being scammed by fake endorsements, ensuring that there is complete transparency when it comes to an influencer’s relationship with a brand. However, I think they might have gone a little too far. When I scroll through Instagram, it seems that every single post is now accompanied by some level of hashtag announcing the individual’s connection to a brand that’s featured in the post. Not only is it distracting and annoying, it’s downright obnoxious.
An individual is now required by law to state #AD on a post if they are wearing and/or using a product that was simply gifted to them – even with no other obligations. In my opinion, this seems a little far-fetched. Guess what? Instagrammers are given free stuff all the time. It's how these 20-year-olds can afford to live in New York City and Los Angeles – they don’t have to spend money on clothes! It’s really not a secret to anyone, except apparently the FTC.
Admittedly, the FTC is taking steps in the right direction. We have to give them time to figure out how to navigate and regulate the ever-growing media age. However, in order to actually protect the consumer, the rules need to be more specific. With the current regulations, Danielle Bernstein of fashion Instagram WeWoreWhat could place #AD on a post of her dog and I would be left wondering if she was given the dog, the collar, or was just advertising the groomer and his fresh doggy trim. What does it mean if influencers just hashtag the brand? What if they tag and hashtag the brand, but don’t say AD? It’s all too confusing to navigate now.
Instead of casting a wide and vague net on what must be noted as an advertisement, the FTC needs specific regulations that differentiate between gifting, paid endorsements, and/or ambassadorships. Not only will this create more transparency about the relationship between the consumer and the business, but it will also declutter my Instagram feed of obnoxious advertisement hashtags.
Graphics via Rita Liu