The professional advertising regulatory body (ARPP) launched the Responsible Influence certificate a few months ago. This official document is designed to promote ethical and responsible influence marketing, the aim being to avoid excesses around product placements.
In September 2021, the ARRP, the professional advertising regulatory body, published an instructive study on the excesses of influencers in their product placements. Thus, 43% of influencers would lie about their content by not specifying that they are sponsored publications.
Today, these bad behaviors are again in full light, in particular thanks to the investigation into the practices of Magali Berdah’s Shauna Events company. The Grasse public prosecutor’s office has opened investigations for deceptive commercial practices.
The responsible influence certificate, for more transparency
Shortly after the publication of its study, the ARPP launched the “Responsible Influencing Certificate”. This official document has been implemented to “promote ethical influencer marketing and responsible, respectful of the public”, specifies the institution.
Via a 3-hour training course accessible online, the influencer is made aware of the main ethical and legal rules when it comes to gambling, the environment, cosmetics, or even health or food products, for example. Next, influencers must engage in a MCQ of about fifteen minutes to determine if they have assimilated the concepts learned.
You must get at least 75% correct answers to obtain the certificate. For the moment, only 170 influencers hold the precious sesame. The vast majority of them are lifestyle and travel influencers. According to ARPP data, one in five influencers failed the test.
Also read: Bitcoin – the French authorities go to war against influencers who promote cryptocurrency
Certificate changes to include environment
In 2022, the ARPP intends to strengthen the certificate by including a module on sustainable developmentthe aim being to raise awareness around the latest IPCC report and to ban influencers “any representation of behavior contrary to the protection of the environment”. “We can no longer see influencers showing McDonald’s orders delivered by private jet, or 3-day trips to Tahiti”, assures Mohamed Mansouri, deputy director of the ARPP.
Note, however, that the certificate does not have a simple badge affixed to an Instagram account. The ARPP monitors compliance with the commitments made by certified influencers. The publications of certified influencers are scrutinized two days a week to ensure their good behavior. In the event of an irregularity, a first alert is sent, and in the event of a recurrence, the certificate may be suspended or withdrawn.
Source: BFM-TV