Well, ASA's answer to Just-opinion says otherwise: basically, no editorial control = no advertising = no need for transparency.Doesn’t really matter what control level exists, even just gifting freebies with no obligation, whatever it is it is supposed to be declared as #AD. The regulations got pretty simple and basically said, whatever it is, sponsored, gifted, partnership, whatever should all be tagged #AD. If they aren’t doing that, they are in the wrong.
"When a brand sponsors/has gifted products but has no control of the content, we deem these as not advertising for our purposes, as sponsorship is not covered by the CAP code. As there is no control by the brands, the CAP Code would not require the post to be labelled as an ad and therefore this does not fall within our remit."
Why does she look like one of my grandma's old blankets though?
Also I contact ASA about the Westin gifting or sponsoring the SJs to stay there, I got this as a reply.
"No payment was made" sounds like they just didn't get anything into their bank account; but I believe they could still be staying there for free/discount for promotion. Sly dogs saying "no payment" rather than "no relationship with the brand"
Yeah they're staying there, paying normal rates and getting extras like teddybears for the kids and monogrammed Moet bottles: sounds like the same experience I'd get if I went there.
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