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FTC Endorsement Guidance Applies to the Social Posts Brands Commission
NEWS / SOLUTION
The FTC explains endorsement and material-connection principles that should shape creator briefs, approvals, and disclosures.
What the FTC’s guidance says
The FTC’s endorsement Q&A says endorsements must reflect honest opinions and experiences and addresses disclosure of material connections between endorsers and advertisers. It notes that advertisers and endorsers can have responsibilities under the guides.
The guidance does not provide a universal disclosure phrase that works in every placement. Clarity and prominence depend on context, and the source does not turn a disclosure into permission for a false or unsubstantiated claim.
Build disclosure into the creative brief
A creator brief should state the relationship, approved claims, required disclosure approach, and how the disclosure must remain visible in each format. A short video, story, caption, or repost can present different visibility challenges.
Review the published execution, not only the draft. Check whether a viewer can understand the connection without searching for hidden text, and keep records of the approved copy and placement.
Keep the creator’s account honest
Do not script a personal experience the creator did not have or ask them to claim results they cannot support. Give creators room to speak in their own voice while ensuring material claims are accurate and substantiated.
Social Content Studio can include approval and disclosure checks within a scoped production workflow. The agency interpretation is to treat creator content as advertising when appropriate and consult counsel for campaign-specific questions.