Disclosure of Vlog Advertising Targeted to Children

• Published in: Journal of interactive marketing Vol. 52; no. 1; pp. 1 - 19
• Main Authors: De Jans, Steffi, Hudders, Liselot
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Los Angeles, CA Elsevier Inc 01.11.2020; SAGE Publications
• Subjects: Advertising disclosures; Advertising literacy; Brand effects; Influencer effects; Influencer marketing; Influencer-generated disclosure; Vlog advertising; Brand effects; Advertising literacy; Vlog advertising; Influencer-generated disclosure; Advertising disclosures; Influencer effects; Influencer marketing
• ISSN: 1094-9968; 1520-6653
• DOI: 10.1016/j.intmar.2020.03.003

Influencers can disclose vlog advertising by implementing a platform-generated disclosure or by generating their own disclosure. This study aims to investigate whether and how these two types of disclosures differentially affect children's responses toward the sponsored content and the influencer. To do so, a two (platform-generated [PG] disclosure: no PG disclosure versus PG disclosure) by three (influencer-generated [IG] disclosure: no IG disclosure versus no commercial interference disclosure versus commercial interference disclosure) between-subjects experimental study was conducted among 190 children (aged ten to twelve). The results show that both types of disclosures increased children's recognition of vlog advertising; however, children's advertising literacy (i.e. their understanding of influencer marketing and skepticism toward the ad) was less activated when the influencer specifically indicated that there was no commercial interference of the brand. In addition, besides being more beneficial for influencers (by not negatively affecting children's evaluations of the influencer), an IG disclosure also showed to be more favorable for brands, as it increased brand effects among children, whereas a PG disclosure decreased these brand effects. •The study examines how transparency of influencer marketing can be enhanced.•The study compares an influencer- (IG) with a platform-generated (PG) disclosure.•Both an IG and PG disclosure increase children's recognition of sponsored vlogs.•Advertising literacy is less activated when there is no commercial interference.•An IG disclosure is more beneficial for both influencers and brands.