Adverts by BBC Dragon Steven Bartlett for nutrition products Huel and Zoe have been banned after watchdog the Advertising Standards Authority said they were misleading.
Bartlett, host of the Diary of a CEO podcast, promoted the products on Facebook in February without disclosing that he is an investor in Zoe and a director at Huel.
The ASA said the ads could have been mistaken for an independent review, which was contested by both Huel and Zoe.
In the advert for health testing firm Zoe, Bartlett – wearing a patch on his arm – is accompanied by the quote: “If you haven’t tried Zoe yet, give it a shot. It might just change your life.”
In the two banned ads for Huel, he is shown drinking a supplement beverage and claiming it is the best product released by the company to date.
Ryan T Williams, co-founder of It’s Gone Viral – a competitor of Social Chain, the influencer marketing agency co-founded and since sold by Bartlett – says that the entrepreneur should know better.
“How did he think he would get away with it?” asked Williams, who exited his firm in 2022. “The rules are there for a reason. It protects consumers from misinformation and demands clarity and transparency from brands.
“It’s not only a legal obligation, but a moral one too. This is like the guy who owns McDonald’s telling you ‘Big Macs are good for you’.”
It’s Gone Viral – now known as the KOMI group – was founded in 2016. Its team of content creators, analysts and video producers have made and distributed video content and viral campaign adverts for international brands such as BBC Films, O2, Universal, Bud Light and Disney.
“Steven claims to be a master marketeer – but this feels like he’s completely trying to pull the wool over consumers’ eyes,” continued Williams. “Cleary, interviewing a bunch of famous people has gone to his head as he thinks everyone knows who he is and what companies he’s involved with.
“It’s almost arrogant of him to assume that people know he’s invested in Huel when he’s sat there advertising their products. It’s actually crazy to use an investor to advertise a brand. It’s the equivalent of a founder’s mum being asked to give a testimonial about how wonderful their kid and their brand are.
“In 2024, he knows that testimonials from real people are more powerful than a founder or investor’s claims.
“This move leaves the legitimacy of the brands he’s involved with in question. How can you claim to be an industry expert and not follow the rules of the industry you’re apparently an expert in?”
The ASA previously banned a 2022 ad for Huel on the Diary of a CEO podcast where Bartlett said he’d “become hooked on” a caramel iced coffee drink.
Williams added of the latest banned ads: “it wasn’t just Steven involved. The marketing teams are equally to blame: they know the law and regardless of how remotely well-known the talent and investors are, these teams need to be held accountable for their failure to follow the law too.”
A Zoe spokesperson commented: “Our ad was posted from the Zoe Facebook account with the ‘Sponsored’ label, clearly marking it as an ad. The ASA acknowledged, in its ruling, that the ad was indeed ‘obviously identifiable’ as a marketing communication.
“We believe the ad was compliant with the Cap Code… neither the 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, to ensure that all our future advertising complies with the Cap Code.”
BusinessCloud has also approached Huel and Bartlett for comment.
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