UK Watchdog Goes After Beauty Videos Sponsored By Procter & Gamble

Recently, we’ve noted a number of instances in which watchdog agencies flagged YouTube videos that were not properly marked as brand-sponsored marketing tools. The latest channel under fire from the UK’s Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) is Beauty Recommended, where a video hosted by vlogger Ruth Crilly had to be removed because it did not properly note that it was sponsored by Procter & Gamble.

Beauty Recommended, which is run by P&G’s Max Factor brand, does include disclaimers at the beginning of all its videos. The ASA, however, does not believe those title cards provide enough information. “It wasn’t until a viewer had selected and opened the video that text, embedded in the video, referred to Procter & Gamble,” the ASA said. “We considered that viewers should have been aware of the commercial nature of the content prior to engagement.”

Beauty Recommended now tells viewers its videos are “brought to you by Procter & Gamble” as soon as they arrive on the channel. That step, however, may not be enough to satisfy the ASA. The advertising watchdog is also quibbling with the terms “sponsored by” and “brought to you by,” which it believes do not adequately inform viewers about videos on which the brands maintain editorial control.

Crilly, who makes videos on her “A Model Recommends” YouTube channel, is one of several vloggers who contribute to Beauty Recommended, which presents beauty tips to its 18,000 subscribers.

This isn’t the first time the ASA has gone after the YouTube community. It previously went on the offensive against YouTube stars Dan Howell and Phil Lester, who it said did not properly mark videos sponsored by Oreo. On our side of the pond, children’s advocacy groups have attacked the YouTube Kids app, where they found videos they allege to be not properly marked as branded content.

Those previous examples underscored the importance of properly-marked branded content on YouTube. The new spat with Beauty Recommended contributes to the conversation by stressing the difference between sponsored content and what the ASA calls “marketing communications.” That distinction is another thing YouTubers and their brand partners will need to keep an eye on as branded content continues to spread across YouTube.