The SlideShare friendly verion of our Manipulating Media presentation.Music is credited to http://Music4YourVids.co.uk

1. Should it be restricted and if so how?

2. Social networking sites are used to keep people in touch with each other.
People, especially celebrities have used this to their advantage.
Endorsing products…
…and increasing their popularity.

3. Enjoy public
recognition by a
large group of
people or mass
audience.
With a high degree of public awareness, one of their main roles is
keeping in the public eye through social events and through social
networking sites…

4. With the likes of Ashton Kutcher and Oprah
Winfrey promoting Twitter as a social
networking site, it‟s no surprise they‟ve taken
the accessibility of communicating with all their
fans at the same time and used it to their
advantage.
They have over18 million followers between them.

5. According to Friedman and Friedman, a
“celebrity endorser is an individual who is
known by the public(…)for his or her
achievements in areas other than that of the
product being endorsed.”
(1979, p. 63)

6. So, should endorsements via Twitter and other
social networking sites be restricted?

7. Restrictions on endorsing products via
social networking sites have already been
set up by the Office of Fair Trading. „The
OFT enforces consumer protection law and
competition law‟.
It has confirmed that online
advertising and marketing
practices that do not disclose they
include paid for promotions are
deceptive under fair trading laws.
(Office of Fair Trading [online] 2010)

8.  With the U.S. a lot more relaxed about celebrities promoting products on
Twitter, a Tweet from Khloe Kardashian can reputedly be bought for
$8,000 or £5,000.
 She has Tweeted: 'Hi Dolls! Want 2 look fab in a pinch? Whiten w/
(at)Crest 3D White 2 HR Express for a gorg smile in 2 Hrs!„
 CHARLIE SHEEN (U.S. TELEVISION AND
FILM STAR) - 6.3MILLION FOLLOWERS
 The market rate for a Tweet from Charlie Sheen is around $8,500 per
Tweet - or £6,000, according to the PR industry.
 He has Tweeted: 'I'm looking to hire a (hash)winning INTERN with
(hash)TigerBlood. Apply here.'

9. Heather Clayton, Senior Director of OFT‟s Consumer Group says „The
internet plays a key role in how people purchase products and services
and the importance of online advertising continues to grow. The OFT has
bolstered its expertise in this area and is taking targeted actions to
ensure that the law is clear, increase business compliance and empower
consumers.‟

10. Twitter users were angered by
Rio Ferdinand‟s tweets,
endorsing the chocolate brand
snickers.
“rioferdy5: You‟re not you when you‟re
hungry @snickersUk#hungry#spon”
His random promotional posts
ignored OFT advice about
celebrities making it clear when
they promote or endorse a
product.
These kinds of endorsements are seen as
„deceptive advertising‟.

11. There are already regulations in force to protect consumers being
misled, but is this affecting the way celebrities communicate with their
followers on Twitter?

12. Restrictions are being enforced due
to tweets via the social networking
site promoting violent behaviour such
as during the London riots of August
2011.
Celebrities claim by
using Twitter they
simply want to keep in
touch with their fans
and keep them up to
date.

13. „July 25: Got a really white smile from
celeb dentist, Druian & Spektor yay!‟
„July 29: Thank you @zaratayloruk for
the gorgeous jewellery!‟
„Aug 4: This weather calls for a
@vitaliberata spray tan!!‟
Millie Mackintosh and Binky
Felstead‟s spokeswoman said that
„they were not paid for any of the
promotions and they are simply
showing good manners and
thanking people for the nice
things they receive. It is not a case
of getting a straightforward
freebie; it is mutually beneficial, it
is good brand positioning.‟

14. YouTube has hundreds of
„beauty guru‟s now, with
companies sending them
products for free in the hope
that they‟ll be advertised in
their videos.
In order to
comply with
OFT guidelines
many of these
„gurus‟ put
disclaimers in
the information
box.
Tanya Berr attracts
over 2 million visitors
every month to her
tutorials

15. Advertising
Standards
Authority
Guidelines
(Crone 2002: 264/265)

16. There has clearly been some thought into restricting the use of
twitter and other social networking endorsements, with the OFT and
the ASA. However, celebrities are still managing to get away with
these endorsements with little consequences.

17. A spokesperson confirmed
that the celebrities
including Rio Ferdinand and
„The emergence of Cher Lloyd had been paid
celebrity tweets has to post the twitter adverts.
raised a number of
issues for the ASA…
…whose role it is to ensure all adverts
are legal, decent, honest and truthful.
These include how we determine
whether or not a tweet is an ad in the
(Barnett 2012: The Telegraph [online])
first place.

18. This shows that restrictions are something
that the ASA and OFT need to think about
more. On Twitter, you are only allowed to post
140 characters at a time, making a disclaimer
difficult at times.
Restrictions on Twitter need to be
tightened as many celebrities and
brands are getting away with
misleading the public, although
restrictions will have to consider the
freedom of speech of the celebrity.

19. Barnett, Emma (2012) „Twitter users angered by Rio Ferdinand's Snickers 'adverts'.‟ The Telegraph
[online]. Wednesday 25 January. Available from:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/twitter/9036278/Twitter-users-angered-by-Rio-Ferdinands-
Snickers-adverts.html
[Accessed 29 January].
Associated Press (2011) „Tweeting for money: The Twitter checks cashed by celebrities like Khloe
Kardashian ($8,000), Charlie Sheen ($9,500) and even jailbird LiLo ($3,500).‟ Daily Mail [online].
Thursday 3 November. Available from: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2057268/Twitter-
endorsements-Khloe-Kardashian-costs-8k-Charlie-Sheen-9-5k-Lindsay-Lohan-3-5k.html
[Accessed 27 January].
Hegarty, Joanne (2011) „The Only Way Is FREEBIES! But Twitter plugs from TOWIE and Made In Chelsea
stars could end in court.‟ Daily Mail [online]. Sunday 18 October. Available from:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2038604/Twitter-freebie-plugs-TOWIE-Made-In-Chelsea-
stars-end-court.html
[Accessed 27 January].
Office of Fair Trading (2010) „Press releases 2010 - OFT secures promotional blogging disclosures.‟
Office of Fair Trading [online]. Available from: http://www.oft.gov.uk/news-and-
updates/press/2010/134-10
[Accessed 29 January].
Crone, T., Alberstat, P., Cassels, T., Overs, E. (eds) (2002) Law and the Media. 4th edn. Oxford: Focal
Press.
Burr, T. (2011) „Ckarisonic Mia Review‟, YouTube, 19th December. Available at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tq-
pG0aojSY&list=UUrIIH7yHQugaUuoTZDoEUuQ&index=14&feature=plcp
Friedman, Hershey, H. , Friedman, L. (1979) „Endorser Effectiveness by Product Type‟ Journal of
Advertising Research, 19 (5): 63-71.