#Ad compliance and responsibility

The dark side of influencer marketing

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.14267/VEZTUD.2024.10.03

Keywords:

influencer marketing, native advertisement, paid contents, consumer protection, misleading consumers

Abstract

Social media influencers’ use of sponsored content as native advertising can be misleading and unfairly influence consumer choice. This study aims to identify factors that contribute to the successful and ethical implementation of influencer marketing, as well as how to meet the necessary requirements. Using a case study method, the study analyses five resolutions of the Hungarian Competition Authority, which deemed paid content promoting various companies on social media as misleading. The study focuses on the recognisability of advertising and the liability of the actors involved in the communication practice. Although there are clear and internationally similar guidelines of labelling used in indications, there is no uniform practice for the placement of disclosures in the absence of specific rules. The research emphasises the need for guidelines for intermediary markets to objectively meet obligations in influencer marketing campaigns, indirectly contributing to the success of influencer marketing by avoiding unfair commercial practices.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Author Biographies

Margit Berki-Süle, Eötvös Loránd University

assistant professor

Erika Hlédik, Eötvös Loránd University

associate professor

References

'2008. évi XLVII. törvény a fogyasztókkal szembeni tisztességtelen kereskedelmi gyakorlat tilalmáról.

'2008. évi XLVIII.tv. a gazdasági reklámtevékenység alapvető feltételeiről és egyes korlátairól.

Agostino, D., Arnaboldi, M., & Calissano, A. (2019). How to quantify social media influencers: An empirical application at the teatro alla scala. Heliyon, 5(5), e01677. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2019.e01677

Amazeen, M.A. & Wojdynski, B.W. (2020). The effects of disclosure format on native advertising recognition and audience perceptions of legacy and online news publishers. Journalism, 21(12), 1965–1984. https://doi.org/10.1177/1464884918754829

Asquith, K., & Fraser, E. (2020). A Critical Analysis of Attempts to Regulate Native Advertising and Influencer Marketing. International Journal of Communication, 14(21), 5729–5749. https://ijoc.org/index.php/ijoc/article/view/16123/3270

Authority for Consumers and Markets. (2020). ACM takes action against trade in fake reviews and fake likes. https://www.acm.nl/en/publications/acm-takes-actionagainst-trade-fake-reviews-and-fake-likes

Bak L. (2018). Tisztességtelen kereskedelmi gyakorlatok az adatalapú gazdaságban. Versenytükör, 14(Különszám 7), 4–15.

Boerman, S.C., van Reijmersdal, E.A., & Neijens, P. (2012). Sponsorship Disclosure: Effects of Duration on Persuasion Knowledge and Brand Responses. Journal of Communication, 62(6), 1047–1064. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1460-2466.2012.01677.x

Borchers, N.S. (2019). Social Media Influencers in Strategic Communication. International Journal of Strategic Communication, 13(4), 255–260. https://doi.org/10.1080/1553118X.2019.1634075

Bucher, H.J., & Schumacher, P. (2006). The relevance of attention for selecting news content. An eye-tracking study on attention patterns in the reception of print and online media. Communications, 31(3), 347–368. https://doi.org/10.1515/COMMUN.2006.022

Buvár, Á. (2018). #Reklám, #hirdetés, #fizetett tartalom: A reklámfelismerés szerepe a reklámmal kapcsolatos attitűdök aktiválásában szponzorált tartalmak esetén. Marketing & Menedzsmen, 52(3-4), 33–44. https://journals.lib.pte.hu/index.php/mm/article/view/1060

Cain, R.M. (2011). Embedded Advertising on Television: Disclosure, Deception and Free Speech Rights. Journal of Public Policy & Marketing, 30(2), 226–238. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1509/jppm.30.2.226

Campbell, C., & Grimm, P.E. (2019). The challenges native advertising poses: Exploring potential federal trade commission responses and identifying research needs. Journal of Public Policy & Marketing, 38(1), 110–123. https://doi.org/10.1177/0743915618818576

Campbell, C., & Farrell, J.R. (2020). More than meets the eye: The functional components underlying influencer marketing. Business Horizons, 63(4), 469–479. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bushor.2020.03.003

Carter, D. (2016). Hustle and Brand: The sociotechnical shaping of influence. Social Media+Society, 2(3), 1–12. https://doi.org/10.1177/2056305116666305

Casaló, L.V., Flavián, C., & Ibáñez-Sánchez, S. (2020). Influencers on Instagram: Antecedents and consequences of opinion leadership. Journal of Business Research, 117, 510–519. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2018.07.005

Childers, C.C., Lemon, L.L. & Hoy, M.G. (2019). #Sponsored #Ad: Agency Perspective on Influencer Marketing Campaigns. Journal of Current Issues & Research in Advertising, 40(3), 258–274. https://doi.org/10.1080/10641734.2018.1521113

Cho, Ch.H., & Cheon, H.J. (2004). Why Do People Avoid Advertising on the Internet? Journal of Advertising, 33(4), 89–97. http://www.jstor.org/stable/4189279

De Veirman, M., & Hudders, L. (2020). Disclosing sponsored instagram posts: The role of material connection with the Brand and message-sidedness when disclosing covert advertising. International Journal of Advertising, 39(1), 94–130. https://doi.org/10.1080/02650487.2019.1575108

Faraday, P. (2000). Visually Critiquing Web Pages. In Correia, N., Chambel, T., & Davenport, G. (Eds.), Multimedia’ 99. Eurographics (pp. 155-166). Springer.

Farivar, S., Wang, F., & Yuan, Y. (2021). Opinion leadership vs. para-social relationship: Key factors in influencer marketing. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, 59, 102371. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jretconser.2020.102371

Fill, C. (2002). Marketing Communications: Contexts, Strategies and Applications (3rd ed.). Prentice Hall.

Freberg, K., Graham, K., McGaughey, K., & Freberg L.A. (2011). Who Are the Social Media Influencers? A Study of Public Perceptions of Personality. Public Relations Review, 37(1), 90–92. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pubrev.2010.11.001

Friestad, M., & Wright, P. (1994). The Persuasion Knowledge Model: How People Cope with Persuasion Attempts. Journal of Consumer Research, 21(1), 1–31. https://doi.org/10.1086/209380

Gaenssle, S. & Budzinski, O. (2020). Stars in social media: New light through old windows?. Journal of Media Business Studies, 18(2), 79–105. https://doi.org/10.1080/16522354.2020.1738694

Giuffredi-Kähr, A., Petrova, A., & Malär, L. (2022). Sponsorship Disclosure of Influencers – A Curse or a Blessing? Journal of Interactive Marketing, 57(1), 18–34. 10.1177/10949968221075686

Grigsby, J.L. (2020). Fake ads: The influence of counterfeit native ads on brands and consumers. Journal of Promotion Management, 26(4), 569–92. https://doi.org/10.1080/10496491.2020.1719958

Guld, Á. (2019). Hétköznapi témák, hétköznapi hírességek influencer kommunikációs trendek a turizmusmarketing területén 2019-ben. Turisztikai és Vidékfejlesztési Tanulmányok, 4(3). https://doi.org/10.15170/TVT.2019.04.03.05

Guld Á. (2021). Sztárok, celebek, influenszerek: A médiában megszerezhető ismertség és hírnév természete. Erdélyi Múzeum-Egyesület.

GVH. (2017). #GVH #Megfeleles #Velemenyvezer. https://www.gvh.hu/pfile/file?path=/aktualis_hirek/aktualis_hirek_gvh_megfeleles_velemenyvezer_2017_11_20&inline=true,

GVH. (2019). Gazdasági Versenyhivatal Versenytanácsának az Fttv-vel, Grt-vel és a Tpvt III. fejezetével, a Gyftv.-vel, Éltv-vel és az 1169/2011/EU rendelettel kapcsolatos elvi jelentőségű döntései. https://www.gvh.hu/pfile/file?path=/jogi_hatter/magyar_piacra_iranyado_szabalyozas/elvi_jelentosegu_dontesek/vt_elvi_jelentosegu_dontesek_fttv_2019&inline=true

GVH. (2022). Tájékoztató az influenszer marketingről. https://gvh.hu/pfile/file?path=/szakmai_felhasznaloknak/tajekoztatok/Tajekoztato_az_influenszer_marketingrol.pdf1&inline=true

Hackley, C. (2005). Advertising and Promotion: Communicating Brands. SAGE.

Hassan, S.H., Teo, S.Z., Ramayah, T., & Al-Kumaim, N.H. (2021). The credibility of social media beauty gurus in young millennials’ cosmetic product choice. PLoS ONE, 16(3). https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0249286

Head, V. (1981). Sponsorship: The Newest Marketing Skill. Woodhead-Faulkner in association with the Chartered Institute of Marketing.

Hódi, B., Barkász, D. A., & Buvár, Á. (2022). „Mindegy, mit reklámoz; lényeg, hogy szeretem”: A paraszociális kapcsolat és az influenszer-márka kongruencia együttes hatása a szponzorált közösségi posztok hatékonyságára. Marketing & Menedzsment, 56(EMOK Különszám), 7–17. https://doi.org/10.15170/MM.2022.56.KSZ.01.01

Horváth, D., & Mitev, A. (2015). Alternatív kvalitatív kutatási kézikönyv. Alinea Kiadó.

Hudders, L., De Jans, S., & De Veirman, M. (2020). The commercialization of social media stars: a literature review and conceptual framework on the strategic use of social media influencers. International Journal of Advertising, 40(3), 327–375. https://doi.org/10.1080/02650487.2020.1836925

Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB). (2018). Inside Influence: IAB Influencer Marketing for Publishers Guide. https://www.iab.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/IAB_Influencer_Marketing_for_Publishers_2018-01-25.pdf

Karagür, Z., Becker, J.M., Klein, K., & Edeling, A. (2022). How, why, and when disclosure type matters for influencer marketing. International Journal of Research in Marketing, 39(2), 313–335. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijresmar.2021.09.006

Kay, S., Mulcahy, R., & Parkinson, J. (2020). When less is more: The impact of macro and microsocial media influencers’ disclosure. Journal of Marketing Management, 36(3–4), 248–278. https://doi.org/10.1080/0267257X.2020.1718740

Kovács, A., Lőrincz, A., Papp, V., & Veres, I. (2019). Influencer marketing a turizmusban – Trendek és gyakorlat. Turisztikai és Vidékfejlesztési Tanulmányok, 4(4), 4-10. https://doi.org/10.15170/TVT.2019.04.04.01

Lou, C., & Yuan, S. (2019). Influencer Marketing: How Message Value and Credibility Affect Consumer Trust of Branded Content on Social Media. Journal of Interactive Advertising, 19(1), 58–73. https://doi.org/10.1080/15252019.2018.1533501

Marchis, A., & Markos-Kujbus, É. (2018). „Minden jó influencer…” – Avagy hogyan lehet hiteles egy Instagram mikroinfluencer az ügynökségek és az influencerek szerint? In Csordás T. (Szerk.), DMMD ADAPTER: Tanulmányok a digitális marketing, média és design területéről (pp. 19-33). Budapesti Corvinus Egyetem.

Markos-Kujbus, É., & Buzás, J. (2018). „Valaki mondja meg, kinek kell hinnem…” – A youtuberek hitelességének megítélése a Z generáció szemszögéből. In Csordás T. (Szerk.), MMDC terelő – Tanulmányok a marketing-, média- és designkommunikáció területéről (pp. 17-28). Budapesti Corvinus Egyetem.

Raun, T. (2018). Capitalizing intimacy: New subcultural forms of micro-celebrity strategies and affective labour on YouTube. Convergence, 24(1), 99–113. https://doi.org/10.1177/1354856517736983

Riege, A.M. (2003). Validity and reliability tests in case study research: A literature review with “hands‐on” applications for each research phase. Qualitative Market Research: An International Journal, 6(2), 75–86. https://doi.org/10.1108/13522750310470055

Szakály, O. (2023). Hogyan befolyásolják a gasztronómiai influencerek a fogyasztói döntést? — A fogyasztói aktivitás szerepe a döntéshozatali folyamat során a gasztronómiai turizmusban, az Instagram példáján keresztül [Doktori értekezés]. Budapesti Corvinus Egyetem, Gazdálkodástani Doktori Iskola. https://doi.org/10.14267/phd.2023048

Szokolszky, Á. (2004). Kutatómunka a pszichológiában. Osiris Kiadó.

Tessitore, T., & Geuens, M. (2013). PP for ‘product placement’ or ‘puzzled public’?: The effectiveness of symbols as warnings of product placement and the moderating role of brand recall. International Journal of Advertising, 32(3), 419–442. https://doi.org/10.2501/IJA-32-3-419-442

Tzoulia, E. (2019). Influencer Marketing’ on Social Media: Consumer Protection Issues from the Perspective of EU Law. European Legal Forum, 2, 29–38. https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=3436801

van Reijmersdal, E.A., & van Dam, S. (2020). How age and disclosures of sponsored influencer videos affect adolescents’ knowledge of persuasion and persuasion. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 49(7), 1531–1544. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10964-019-01191-z

Varga, Á., & Panyi, K. (2018). Híres leszek! – a magyar YouTube piac influencer központú vizsgálata. Vezetéstudomány, 49(12), 24–30. https://doi.org/10.14267/VEZTUD.2018.12.03

White, C. (2017). Email Marketing Rules Checklists, Frameworks, and 150 Best Practices for Business Success (3rd ed.). CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform.

Wojdynski, B.W. & Evans, N.J. (2016). Going Native: Effects of Disclosure Position and Language on the Recognition and Evaluation of Online Native Advertising. Journal of Advertising, 45(2), 157–168. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00913367.2015.1115380

Downloads

Published

2024-10-14

How to Cite

Berki-Süle, M., & Hlédik, E. (2024). #Ad compliance and responsibility: The dark side of influencer marketing. Vezetéstudomány Budapest Management Review, 55(10), 33–47. https://doi.org/10.14267/VEZTUD.2024.10.03

Issue

Section

Studies and Articles