Former Love Island star and social media influencer Molly-Mae Hague was recently banned for an Instagram post that promoted clothes company Pretty Little Thing banned for not informing followers that they were seeing an advert.
The 23-year-old has been fined by the advertising watchdog in the United Kingdom three times for not following the rules for marketing on social media posted a photo of her wearing the Pretty Little Thing (PLT) dress on her Instagram account, along with a purchase link. the dress.
Hague Hague, who holds an unpaid position as the creative director for the company that makes clothes, tweeted: “You can actually shop it now on PLT – couldn’t not make it available for you guys too.”
The Advertising Standards Authority received an inquiry about it was found that the Instagram post was commercial as a result of Hague’s contractual arrangement with PLT.
“We noted that the story had appeared in Molly-Mae Hague’s own account and did not contain any indication that it was a marketing communication,” the ASA stated.
PLT confirmed Hague’s contract with PLT, which stipulates the obligation for Hague to “comply with applicable laws and regulations relating to marketing and advertising” as well as using an #ad-disclosure “for the avoidance of doubt”.
The ASA stated: “We considered that while certain of her followers might be aware that she was the the creative director of PLT but it wasn’t immediately apparent to everyone that she was a commercial stakeholder in PLT in the form of the post.
“We therefore concluded that the commercial intent behind the story was not made clear and upfront and it was not obviously identifiable as a marketing communication.”
A representative of the social media influencer stated that she had omitted the disclosure on her Instagram blog post that was posted on Halloween last year “by mistake” and that it will be used again in the future. PLT added that it had been reminded by Hague on her responsibilities under the rules of marketing “to prevent any similar mistakes in the future”.
“The ad must not appear again in the form complained of,” stated the ASA.
The ASA has taken action against social media influencers as well as their constant disregard for UK marketing regulations in recent times.
In the year 2012, the agency issued an ultimatum warning for those 122 United Kingdom-based Instagram influencers who were put at risk that they could be penalized for not adhering to guidelines for content that encourages products or brands.
In January the ASA began the “name and shame” Instagram campaign after celebrities on social media like Jodie Marsh as well as five other previous Love Islanders including Francesca Allen continued to violate the rules of social media marketing.
Social media before life Between 2015 and 2018
Prior to attempting to make an online business, Molly-Mae spent most of her teenage times competing in beauty contests.
After winning her very inaugural pageant Miss Teen Great Britain in 2015, she thoroughly enjoyed the experience so much she came back in the following year, and was named World Teen Supermodel UK.
Molly-Mae has also travelled to China where she participated in the World Teen Supermodel, where she was a second place.
Before gaining the limelight (and love) on the fifth season on Love Island, Molly-Mae was already an influencer on social media however not in the same extent that she has today.
