Influencer Marketing – Ad Standards

Influencer marketing is an increasingly popular strategy for advertisers to promote their brands. Building on the persuasive power that one individual’s opinions, recommendations, reviews, and testimonials can have on others, influencers present their views on products and services that they sample to their followers. In doing so, they aim to influence consumer behaviour. Trust is key to the relationship between the influencer and the consumer, and Ad Standards provides tools to help brands, advertisers, platforms and influencers maintain that consumer trust.

The Canadian Code of Advertising Standards

The Canadian Code of Advertising Standards (Code), and specifically Clause 7 (Testimonials), provides parameters for truthful “testimonials, endorsements or other representations of opinion or preference”. This requirement applies equally to all media and formats, including traditional testimonials, advertorial and native content, and, now, the representations of influencers.

Interpretation Guideline #5

In 2016, Ad Standards introduced Interpretation Guideline #5 to help ensure that influencer content is not deceptive. It requires that the representations disclose any material connection between the influencer and the entity behind the brand, product or service being promoted. The Interpretation Guideline further requires this disclosure to be clear, prominent, and in close proximity to the representation being made.

Influencer Disclosure Guidelines

The Ad Standards Influencer Marketing Steering Committee, made up of members of the influencer marketing industry, created the Influencer Marketing Disclosure Guidelines in 2018. The goal of the document is to help influencers and advertisers understand and meet the disclosure requirement in the Code and Interpretation Guideline #5.

Updated most recently in 2025, this edition provides clearer, more comprehensive guidance on:

Disclosing gifted products vs event invitations
Using social media paid partnership tools effectively
Managing affiliate marketing disclosures
Communicating disclosure to child audiences
Using and disclosing AI-generated content and influencers

Ad Standards was proud to have received the Best Sectoral Initiative award from The International Council for Ad Self-Regulation (ICAS) for these Guidelines in May, 2019. The Guidelines are consistent with expectations of regulators in the US and other jurisdictions. Canada is among the countries with self-regulatory codes and guidelines for influencer marketing.

Influencer Marketing Research 2025

In 2025, Ad Standards partnered with Caddle Research on their third biennial survey of the public, examining awareness of and attitudes toward influencer marketing. The survey of more than 2,200 consumers uncovered several key insights:

Disclosure improves comfort. Comfort with disclosure requirements has increased +12 pts since 2021, and 54% recognize “Paid Promotion” labels while 48% recognize #ad/#sponsored.
Influencers are a strong discovery engine and trial driver. Seventy-three percent learn about products from influencers weekly and 32%, daily. Approximately 73–75% have purchased due to an influencer recommendation, and roughly one-third (34%) purchase at least monthly, indicating habitual trial behaviour.
AI influencers lack credibility and require transparency to gain acceptance. A majority view AI influencers as less relatable (65%) and less effective (58%). Seventy-eight percent believe AI influencers must clearly disclose their identity, and 57% say AI reduces their likelihood to purchase.