With concern growing over the amount of social media posts by influencers which breach the advertising code, the Advertising Standards Authority of Ireland (ASAI) plans to use artificial intelligence (AI). The move comes as a study by Amárach Research for the ASAI shows inauthenticity, photoshopping and too many paid ads are most ‘annoying’ influencer traits.
The survey of 1,000 participants also found that only one in 10 people have trust in what influencers post on social media, while 56 per cent of Irish consumers trust ads for brands more than influencers’ social posts. Some 67 per cent consider edited images the most annoying feature, while over 60 per cent are annoyed by the inauthenticity of influencers.
Orla Twomey (pictured), chief executive, ASAI, said 67 per cent of consumers were familiar with the practice of influencer marketing, with awareness being highest (75 per cent) among 35 year olds and under. Some 71 per cent believe that when an influencer posts an ad, they are paid by the brand to post positive content, down from 80 per cent in 2021.
Tips
While the research found that 84 per cent of consumers use social media apps regularly and almost 40 per cent of those use it for tips or inspiration, consumer confidence in what they are seeing online is extremely low, with just one in 10 consumers having trust in influencers’ posts, while over 62 per cent believe influencers post too much sponsored content.
Echoing similar results to the Social Media Influencer Report released by the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) in December, the ASAI research reveals that there is a severe lack of trust between influencers and consumers. The research also provides insight into people’s understanding of the use of hashtags and labelling in online ads.
