Influencers being shady with their AD

[rosemarina]

I keep meaning to ask this but what does the law in the UK say about undisclosed affiliate links for (I guess?) non-influencers? I mean if I had a blog and I posted an affiliate link without declaring that I’d make a cut of any purchases made, would I be subject to the same law as an influencer?

The reason I ask is that Esther Walker is absolutely TERRIBLE for this on her blog The Spike, and it’s really pissing me off. It’s not hard to put up a little disclaimer. She very cleverly does that thing a lot where she recommends something without saying where it’s from (or posting a picture) so most people will click on the link to find out more.

Careful where you click.

Back to work

I was asked twice over the summer, (which is quite a lot for me), about back to work clothes for the modern, go-getting woman (who also possibly has a couple of kids and hasn’t seen inside an…

onthespike.com

 

[VeeJayBee]

Regular non-discloser of ads, Jo Good aka Middle Aged Minx is back at it. Given $245 pyjamas with feathers stuck on, from Sleeper. Does an Insta with no mention of gifted, or ad, sponsor.

Then vlogs about the PJs on YouTube and, in description box (not always visible to all viewers), actually admits they were gifted but (the old excuse) there was "no obligation to promote".
But Jo, you DID promote so IT IS AN AD!

 

[Mustard]

Can’t get my head round why she is so obstinate about this.

 

[VeeJayBee]

More from Jo Good on the same vlog today promoting a raw dog food company...

Note the careful choice of the word "earn". She may not earn money from Paleo Ridge but surely she receives a material benefit, most likely free food for the dog. Why else would she name check and display the product?

Why would she call herself an ambassador if she's just a customer?

 

[VeeJayBee]

Jo Good Middle Aged Minx again. Constant mention of stress due to her gruelling 3hr evening radio shify making her skin spotty blah blah was of course leading up to......... an AD for a face mask.

As usual she has not indicated in the title of the video that it is an ad, she has just put the affiliate link in the description box.

She also went to a new London Hotel in her latest YouTube vlog. Constant mention of the name of the hotel and the restaurant there would indicate it was a comp, but how can we know? Her usual lack of transparency leaves no one being able to trust her. If it wasn't a freebie she would have proudly said "not sponsored" and probably wouldn't have name checked. How can anyone trust her?

 

[Mustard]

Jo Good Middle Aged Minx again. Constant mention of stress due to her gruelling 3hr evening radio shify making her skin spotty blah blah was of course leading up to......... an AD for a face mask.

As usual she has not indicated in the title of the video that it is an ad, she has just put the affiliate link in the description box.
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She also went to a new London Hotel in her latest YouTube vlog. Constant mention of the name of the hotel and the restaurant there would indicate it was a comp, but how can we know? Her usual lack of transparency leaves no one being able to trust her. If it wasn't a freebie she would have proudly said "not sponsored" and probably wouldn't have name checked. How can anyone trust her?

So true. I presume if she left an affiliate link for the face mask (which she said she would do)she had on her flog means she would get some sort of cut but as I didn’t click on the link I don’t know where it went to.

Jo Good Middle Aged Minx again. Constant mention of stress due to her gruelling 3hr evening radio shify making her skin spotty blah blah was of course leading up to......... an AD for a face mask.

As usual she has not indicated in the title of the video that it is an ad, she has just put the affiliate link in the description box.
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View attachment 770614

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She also went to a new London Hotel in her latest YouTube vlog. Constant mention of the name of the hotel and the restaurant there would indicate it was a comp, but how can we know? Her usual lack of transparency leaves no one being able to trust her. If it wasn't a freebie she would have proudly said "not sponsored" and probably wouldn't have name checked. How can anyone trust her?

Until you said this about the hotel possibly being comped, it hadn’t occurred to me.

 

[VeeJayBee]

Again Jo Good aka Middle Aged Minx. Her vlog today features her advertising two brands she has commercial arrangements with, but no honest mention of AD or gifted. She says it's not sponsored and expects viewers to believe it, most of her subs are gullible old gals so perhaps they do believe her and Jo Good is happy to exploit this. Not very AUTHENTIC or TRANSPARENT, qualities she likes to boast about

 

[VeeJayBee]

Again on her YouTube vlog posted yesterday Jo Good @middleagedminx is advertising a makeup brand, and one of those mats/ bolsters with little spikes on.

She says boldly that they are not ads. She uses the old trick of saying that she bought one item from the makeup brand, implying this means it's not an ad. But IT IS AN AD because she is advertising a discount code.

She says the mat/bolster is not a paid ad. Many influencers use semantics in this way, she might not have been paid a fee for the ad, but she gives out a code from which she will presumably receive a commission.

Her delivery here is a study in insincerity. Breathy "trust me" tone. Says she doesn't know if similar products exist, despite having being sent a different green and blue version a while back from a different brand, She also implies that the mat and bolster has properties comparable to acupuncture treatment from Harley Street (which she credits for easing her asthma 5 minutes after it was diagnosed). She also credits it with boosting her energy and sleep issues now that her radio show has been unceremoniously shunted to a late slot.

 

[House of Tea]

Again on her YouTube vlog posted yesterday Jo Good @middleagedminx is advertising a makeup brand, and one of those mats/ bolsters with little spikes on.

She says boldly that they are not ads. She uses the old trick of saying that she bought one item from the makeup brand, implying this means it's not an ad. But IT IS AN AD because she is advertising a discount code.

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She says the mat/bolster is not a paid ad. Many influencers use semantics in this way, she might not have been paid a fee for the ad, but she gives out a code from which she will presumably receive a commission.

Her delivery here is a study in insincerity. Breathy "trust me" tone. Says she doesn't know if similar products exist, despite having being sent a different green and blue version a while back from a different brand, She also implies that the mat and bolster has properties comparable to acupuncture treatment from Harley Street (which she credits for easing her asthma 5 minutes after it was diagnosed). She also credits it with boosting her energy and sleep issues now that her radio show has been unceremoniously shunted to a late slot.
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That bag of nails mat looks completely new and unused! She hasn’t been anywhere near it!

 

[VeeJayBee]

More Jo Good. She is sent a package for her and her dog. If it was simply a birthday gift she'd show it without name checking the company and might say something to acknowledge it eg "Look at the present I was sent for me and Matilda" .

But instead Jo says she wants to "promote" the company, which she names several times, as they have been so "generous". We all know these are slimy influencer words to avoid admitting that the vlog contains advertising in return for a freebie.

 

[heretoreaditall2019]

More Jo Good. She is sent a package for her and her dog. If it was simply a birthday gift she'd show it without name checking the company and might say something to acknowledge it eg "Look at the present I was sent for me and Matilda" .

But instead Jo says she wants to "promote" the company, which she names several times, as they have been so "generous". We all know these are slimy influencer words to avoid admitting that the vlog contains advertising in return for a freebie.

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This thread makes me hate this woman lmao I’ve never even heard of her

 

[VeeJayBee]

This thread makes me hate this woman lmao I’ve never even heard of her

The examples here only cover her non-declaration of ads, over on the Jo Good threads you get it all, the attention-seeking, hypocrisy, whinging, lack of self-awareness, entitlement, plus her relentless use of her BBC radio show to promote her YouTube and Insta flogs...
Jo Good threads

 

[VeeJayBee]

Jo Good middleagedminx again dropping in advertising for a lipstick from a brand who have "supported" her for some time. As always she doesn"t label this YouTube video as an #AD in the video title as per ASA guidelines.

And, further shadiness from this woman Tattlers, she continues to tell listeners to her BBC radio show about her YouTube channel, she reads out the handle hoping people they find their way to her ads. Is this what we pay our license fee for?

 

[Shineyshine]

Jo Good middleagedminx again dropping in advertising for a lipstick from a brand who have "supported" her for some time. As always she doesn"t label this YouTube video as an #AD in the video title as per ASA guidelines.
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And, further shadiness from this woman Tattlers, she continues to tell listeners to her BBC radio show about her YouTube channel, she reads out the handle hoping people they find their way to her ads. Is this what we pay our license fee for?

I’m sure the new top guy at the BBC warned them all when he took over about personal interests overlapping with their BBC work. Plus, is it not an abuse of her position to continually promote her own private commercial venture on air? - it’s not as if she’s a guest doing an interview as part of a book tour or something

 

[House of Tea]

I’m sure the new top guy at the BBC warned them all when he took over about personal interests overlapping with their BBC work. Plus, is it not an abuse of her position to continually promote her own private commercial venture on air? - it’s not as if she’s a guest doing an interview as part of a book tour or something

You would think so

 

[Captainmouse]

Raise a complaint, bbc has an online form

 

[House of Tea]

Raise a complaint, bbc has an online form

A few people on the Middle Aged Minx thread have done several times. Fobbed off.

 

[Mustard]

A few people on the Middle Aged Minx thread have done several times. Fobbed off.

I do think those complaints were done before she was booted off the afternoon slot. Don’t know if it would make a difference to complain now. Maybe because she’s in the last chance saloon now, they still won’t care. I think the Director General should be contacted directly. The Complaints Unit will be inundated in general. Maybe the DG would like to read some of her threads.

 

[VeeJayBee]

I’m sure the new top guy at the BBC warned them all when he took over about personal interests overlapping with their BBC work. Plus, is it not an abuse of her position to continually promote her own private commercial venture on air? - it’s not as if she’s a guest doing an interview as part of a book tour or something

Exactly. If she ran a tea shop in town and was continuously mentioning it on her show to BBC listeners it would not be tolerated, this is no different, she is promoting her sidehustle as an advertiser, albeit her ads are contained within vlogs as "look at my fun antics out and about with my fashion and my dog and my mates and my dear old mum sometimes".

 

[VeeJayBee]

Surprise surprise. Shady and shameless Jo Good again. Back on her vlog punting two beauty brands with whom she has commercial relationships, using affiliate links but YET AGAIN the video title is not marked as #AD s required by the ASA.

Not even a wishy-washy mention of #gifted.

Nor is it flagged as containg paid Promotion as required by YouTube.

Brands like Chanticaille and Paula's Choice should be aware that associating themselves with shady vloggers probably putsoff more customers than it attracts. I know I would avoid them on principle.