The FCCA’s new guidelines on the labelling of influencer marketing in Finland– what should marketers know?
The Finnish Competition and Consumer Authority (FCCA) has updated its guidelines on the labelling of influencer marketing. There were no major upheavals, but the changes related to the marking of PR broadcasts have sparked discussion. Our influencer marketing expert Mikko Wivolin goes through what marketers should be aware of.
Advertising tagging in influencer marketing is already well established
The transparency of influencer marketing is important to consumers. According to Dagmar’s Digital Media survey, up to 53% of consumers appreciate the fact that commercial cooperation is easily recognizable. Consumers aged 16–44 in particular pay attention to the transparency of advertising.
In influencer marketing, the markings have been very clear for a long time. The updated guidelines only specify certain details – they do not change the entire operating model. Indeed, there has been more discussion about why the labelling is stricter in influencer marketing than in television and print content, for example.
There has been discussion about why the labelling is stricter in influencer marketing than in television and print content, for example.
The biggest change in the labeling of PR gifts
The most significant update to the guidelines is related to PR products and services that influencers receive without a publishing agreement. Previously, it was enough to mark things like “Received product” or “PR product”, but not anymore.
The FCCA advises to add an advertising purpose to the label, for example as follows:
✅ ”Received for advertising purposes”
✅ ”Advertisement / received”
✅ ”Advertisement / PR”
Even though there is no agreement on publishing content, posting about a PR product is considered part of marketing. Spontaneous publications about PR events should also be labelled to indicate their advertising or marketing purpose, such as “Marketing Event” or “Advertisement/PR Event”.
Even though there is no agreement on publishing content, posting about a PR product is considered part of marketing.
Actual influencer collaborations – no major changes
With regard to agreed content and collaborations, the policies have not changed: all agreed content is advertising content and must always be marked as advertising. The influencer can receive compensation for the agreed cooperation in the form of a product, service or monetary reward. From the point of view of the entry, it is not the form of compensation that is decisive, but whether the cooperation has been agreed upon in advance.
Channel-specific tagging practices will remain largely unchanged. In the most frequently used channels, Instagram and TikTok, collaborations are still clearly marked as advertisements, as usual.
The most concrete change concerns, for example, YouTube content: if the entire video is a collaboration, the ad tag must be visible throughout the video or in the title. In addition, the cooperation must be communicated as before in the description text, using the platform’s own tagging tool and verbally at the beginning of the video.
ALL AGREED CONTENT is advertising content and must always be marked as an advertisement.
With an expert partner, the markings are handled correctly
According to the Consumer Protection Act, a company that orders influencer marketing is always responsible for its marketing, regardless of which party it chooses to carry out the marketing. The company is responsible for disclosing commercial cooperation, regardless of whether the commercial cooperation has been carried out with a professional influencer or an amateur influencer. According to the Consumer Protection Act, a professional influencer is responsible for disclosing commercial cooperation in the same way as a company that uses influencer marketing.
According to the Consumer Protection Act, a company that orders influencer marketing is always responsible for its marketing, regardless of which party it chooses to carry out the marketing.
Read the official guidelines of the Finnish Competition and Consumer Authority.
When you work with influencer marketing professionals, you can be sure that collaboration entries are made according to guidelines.
At Dagmar, we have up-to-date information about the latest rules – we make sure that all your campaigns are carried out transparently and responsibly.
When you need help with planning and implementing influencer marketing, contact us!
AUTHOR
Head of Creative Social
LinkedIn
Mikko is a Head of Creative Social who helps implement effective influencer campaigns and content for clients. In his free time, he goes to the gym, sees friends, and spends a little too much time on social media.
Sources: Digital Media Research, Dagmar, November–December 2024
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