I’m excited to share some background on my recent publication, \u201cRevealing the Hidden: The Effect of Advertisement Disclosure on Heavy and Light Instagram Users\u2019 Influencer Avoidance,\u201d co-authored with my PhD supervisor, Naim \u00c7\u0131nar, and published in the Journal of Marketing Communications.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This research started with a simple but important question: How do people respond when influencers don\u2019t clearly disclose that a post is an advertisement? While influencer marketing has become a standard practice, the ethics and effectiveness of ad disclosure remain complex and underexplored.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Our study focused on Instagram, one of the most popular platforms for influencer marketing. We wanted to understand whether the type of disclosure\u2014and how much people use Instagram\u2014shapes their tendency to avoid influencers. Specifically, we examined three disclosure conditions:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
No disclosure (the ad isn’t labeled at all)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sponsorship disclosure (clear labels like #ad or #partnership)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Non-sponsorship disclosure (labels that claim it’s not sponsored)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
We conducted an experimental study with 165 university students in T\u00fcrkiye, classifying them as heavy or light Instagram users based on daily usage time. Participants saw real influencer posts under these different disclosure conditions and responded to questions measuring ad recognition, influencer credibility, and their willingness to avoid the influencer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Key findings included:
\u2705 Heavy Instagram users are skilled at detecting hidden advertising\u2014even without disclosure\u2014and they penalize influencers for not being transparent by avoiding them and reducing their credibility.
\u2705 Sponsorship disclosures led to higher ad recognition, but also reduced the influencer\u2019s credibility and increased avoidance.
\u2705 The effect of disclosure on avoidance is moderated by how intensively users engage with Instagram: heavy users react much more critically to undisclosed or deceptively labeled content.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This study adds nuance to the idea of the privacy paradox and consumer skepticism in advertising. It shows that heavy social media users have developed a kind of \u201cadvertising literacy,\u201d enabling them to recognize hidden ads and respond critically\u2014even when influencers try to hide their commercial intentions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
We believe these results have clear ethical implications:
\u2b50\ufe0f Transparency in influencer marketing isn\u2019t optional.
\u2b50\ufe0f Regulatory agencies are right to insist on clear, honest disclosure.
\u2b50\ufe0f Brands and influencers risk losing credibility and trust if they mislead their audience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I hope this paper contributes to a more honest, respectful relationship between brands, influencers, and audiences.<\/p>\n\n\n\n