The discussion is often about: tweets for which people get paid, Facebook pages that have to pay to be seen and Google that knows exactly where we have been or what we want through cookies and other things. This category also includes bloggers who pay to write an article. Is not that terribly misleading? Below a legal look at it Advertising – unfair commercial practice The way in which advertising can be made is partially restricted. For example, it is not allowed to lie about the product, but also about who actually makes the advertising, where the advertising comes from. This article is about the latter. People like to make decisions based on experiences and recommendations from other people. Marketers and advertisers know that too.
That is why they like to use it, for example by paying well-known Twitterers or bloggers for an advertisement. Such an advertisement can give the impression of being a positive reference. As a result, consumers will buy the product sooner than when they know that it is advertising. If it does not mention that it is actually advertising, we call that an unfair commercial practice. After all, the consumer did not have the right, honest, information about the source of the advertisement. The advertising maker, often the brand or shop that paid for the publication, is responsible for it when it is not clear that it is advertising.
Sponsored post, advertorial, advertising You might know it from magazines. An article that had a slightly different layout than the rest of the magazine. Eventually it turned out to be small and in brackets advertorial or advertising above. The magazine has done nothing about the text or layout of that article. You also see this happening on blogs. However, the layout is always the same and the text is sometimes written by the blogger himself. A good blogger adds that it concerns advertising, sponsored mail or otherwise paid content. It is then not actually the opinion of the blogger you read, but information that the brand likes to bring out.
Sometimes cast in the form of an opinion, because it ensures more sales. That is not a problem in itself, as long as it is clear that there is paid for that content. References, recommendations and reviews… Do you want to say that you can never just give your opinion about a product? No. You are always free to give your opinion about a product. Even if you got it free from the seller or the brand. What matters in the end is that it is clear to the reader from whom the message comes from and how this should be categorized.
A writer can quickly become positive about a given product because the negative elements are partially compensated by the fact that the product was free, while a purchased product is often viewed differently and more critically: ‘Was this a good buy?’ buy again? “” Was this product worth its money? ” It is therefore important that the consumer knows when the writer has received the product for free. Then the text, opinion, review or whatever is honestly displayed.
What do you think about it when you notice that someone has been paid to give a certain positive opinion? Would that matter for your decision to buy something or not?