Mrs Hinch Instagram posts banned by watchdog over lack of ‘ad’ labels
ok.co.ukInstagram posts by cleaning influencer Mrs Hinch have been banned after she failed to make clear to her followers that she was advertising her own products.
Sophie Hinchliffe, whose Mrs Hinch Instagram account filled with cleaning tips has amassed 4.6 million followers, posted a story on 7 January last year featuring a notebook filled with writing and the text: “If you’re a little mad like me tap here for yours.” Clicking the link on the story took users to the relevant product page on the Amazon website and the video ended with the front cover of the notebook which stated “Mrs Hinch Life in Lists” as the mum-of-two added: “In my own notebook of course.” The post attracted 34 complaints that it was not obviously identifiable as an ad for Mrs Hinch's own notebook.
She confirmed that the notebook was of her own design and was still available to buy in several retailers, but believed it was clear that the post was an ad and that it was her own product that she was promoting.
She said she would be happy to include “ad” within future social media posts that included links to her own products in future.The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) said the commercial intent of the post was “ambiguous” and it would have expected it to have included a prominent label identifying it as an ad.
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