Nutrition brands Huel and Zoe have come under fire for sponsored posts on social media featuring Dragons’ Den star Steven Bartlett. The adverts, which appeared on Facebook in February and March, failed to disclose Bartlett’s involvement with the companies, resulting in a ban by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA).
The posts included quotes from the celebrity entrepreneur praising the products of both brands. In the Zoe advert, a photo of Bartlett was accompanied by the words, “If you haven’t tried Zoe yet, give it a shot. It might just change your life.” Similarly, one of the Huel ads featured Bartlett describing the brand’s Daily Greens powder as its “best product.” Another post included a video clip of Bartlett making similar comments.
However, the ASA deemed these posts to be misleading as they did not disclose Bartlett’s vested interest in the companies. As an investor in Zoe and a director at Huel, his appearances on Dragons’ Den – where he often provides opinions on businesses he does not invest in – were not made clear to consumers in the adverts. The regulator noted that many consumers may have thought Bartlett was giving an unbiased endorsement rather than one with a commercial relationship.
In response to the Huel posts, the ASA stated, “We considered that Bartlett’s directorship was material to consumers’ understanding of the ads, and so relevant for them in making an informed decision about the advertised product.” Similarly, the Zoe advert was found to have omitted material information about Bartlett’s status as an investor in the brand, leading the ASA to conclude that it was also misleading.
A spokesperson for Zoe stated that they believed their ad had been clearly marked and was compliant with the rules. They also added, “Neither the [advertising] code nor any of the ASA’s guidance suggests that it is necessary to go into granular detail about the precise nature of an ambassador’s commercial relationship with a brand… We respect the ASA’s work in upholding transparency in online advertising and have provided a written assurance that it will not appear again in that form. We would welcome further guidance to bring clarity on the effect of this decision.”
Huel defended their adverts in response to the ASA, claiming that consumers generally understand that when celebrities endorse products, it is in the context of a commercial relationship. However, the ASA ordered that none of the ads should appear again and asked the brands to ensure future posts do not misleadingly omit material information regarding commercial relationships.
In other business news, £10 million was spent on beer during the Euros final, an “electricity super highway” has been approved, and there has been a surprise fall in the unemployment rate.
