Taryn Brumfitt may have accidentally attracted the attention of the ACCC when she seemed to advocate multiple items on Instagram without disclosing that she was compensated to do so.
The freshly awarded Australian of the Year has posted several raves about food, fashion, and vehicles on her Instagram feed titled ‘bodyimagemovement’ during the past few years.
Her social media site promotes San Remo Pasta, Modibodi lingerie, and a Mazda dealership, among other companies and items.
Some posts contain disclaimers of a compensated partnership with the companies, while others do not.
Influencers are obliged, at a minimum, to append #ad or #sponsored to the end of their posts or write a disclaimer at the top of the article explaining the partnership is compensated.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission said in January that it would crack down on influencers who fail to disclose that they are being compensated to endorse items.
Taryn Brumfitt has made a number of social media postings recommending products, which raises questions about whether or not they contained appropriate advertising warnings (pictured, Ms Brumfitt shows off a pair of Modibodi underwear in a post containing a paid partnership disclaimer)
Ms. Brumfitt posted a photo of a bowl of Sam Remo pasta and a spaghetti dish without a paid partnership disclosure on September 6.
She wrote, “You may not know this, but @sanremopasta was one of the first brands to jump at the chance to support the Embrace Kids film.”
“It was in the very beginning when I was discussing the film’s vision but had nothing tangible to demonstrate.”
In a separate June 23 post, Ms. Brumfitt accompanied a photo of herself wearing a sweater and carrying a bowl of pasta with a disclaimer.
‘Last week, I told the @sanremopasta team that I’d been unwell (thanks Covid & co.) and that I’d been crushing raw turmeric and ginger (FYI, it tastes horrible raw!) in an effort to recover more quickly!
” she composed.
They advised I attempt a healthy San Remo soup recipe with an abundance of those components; I did, and it was a success! Right swipe for the recipe! ‘
Ms. Brumfitt posted endorsements for a variety of automobiles at Edwardstown Mazda in Adelaide, South Australia.
In a video posted on August 29, Ms. Brumfitt boasted about Modibodi underwear without a disclaimer stating that it was an advertisement.
“I’ve been a customer of @modibodi since they opened their doors many years ago! I’m a huge lover of all Modibodi items, but I’m particularly fond of their most recent offering. ‘
Ms. Brumfitt included a disclaimer with her June 30 post in which she discussed several of her acquaintances with incontinence.
The 44-year-old then offered a remedy by displaying a pair of Modibodi underpants.
She wrote, “Absorbing up to 250mls and designed to manage incontinence discretely, comfortably, and without leaks or odour, Modibodi is like everyday underwear with a built-in floating leak-proof lining that completely replaces disposable incontinence pads or underwear…and always feels dry.”
Ms. Brumfitt tweeted a photo of a bowl of Sam Remo pasta and a recipe for spaghetti on September 6.
Since I’ve liked, used, and recommended Modibodi for over six years, you should certainly give them a shot – you’ll love them too!
‘
Ms. Brufmitt lauded the merits of a Mazda BT-50 model in two separate postings published in October and November 2021.
Ms. Brumfitt received the vehicle and driving lessons as a present from Edwardstown Mazda, a car shop in Adelaide, South Australia.
Ms. Brumfitt did identify her affiliation with the automobile company in another August 14 post.
She acknowledged her job as the dealership’s ambassador while promoting a CX-9.
“With a family of six, we require every available seat,” she wrote.
Under the requirements of the Australian Association of National Advertisers, social media influencers must disclose to their followers their affiliation with a business.
Another post depicted Ms. Brumfitt wearing a beanie and sweater and holding a bowl of sauce and San Remo pasta.
Regarding advertising, an influencer must be “clear, obvious, and upfront with the audience.”
It comes a week after the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) disclosed that more than 100 social media influencers had been selected for inquiry after receiving more than 150 tips.
The watchdog requested the public to identify any influencers who failed to disclose when their posts were paid advertisements.
It was determined that influencers in the beauty and lifestyle industries had the most problematic posts, while those in parenting and fashion were also likely to be scrutinized.
Gina Cass-Gottlieb, the chair of the ACCC, stated that the organization would continue to investigate.
She stated, “With online purchases, we find that consumers pay close attention to and are persuaded by influencers.”
Gina Cass-Gottlieb, chair of the ACCC, stated that the amount of tip-offs was alarming and suggested that manipulative marketing practices were on the rise.
She advised influencers to be transparent about any monetary compensation they receive for their posts.
We want them to be truthful and straightforward.
The watchdog monitors Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, YouTube, Facebook, and the live-streaming site Twitch.
Josh Faulks, the chief executive officer of the Australian Association of National Advertisers, stated that all advertising content must be immediately distinguishable.
“Labels or other means used to identify ad content must be obvious, clear, prominent, and front and center,” he stated.
“It is the advertiser’s responsibility to ensure that ad content is distinguishable; however, influencers must ensure that any advertiser guidelines are followed and understand what the AANA Code of Ethics requires to ensure that advertising content is distinguishable from organic content.”
Ms. Brumfitt was contacted by Daily Mail Australia for comment.
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