Make-up brand BPerfect Cosmetics has faced criticism from the UK advertising watchdog, the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA), for a TikTok video featuring influencer Stephanie Vavron. The video, posted in November 2023, showed Vavron applying BPerfect products and discussing her visit to the BPerfect store in Glasgow, Scotland. Stephanie Vavron is reportedly a hairdresser with 424,000 followers on TikTok.
A complaint was lodged by a user who argued that the video did not clearly disclose Vavron’s commercial relationship with the brand, making it unclear that it was a marketing communication. The ASA expressed concern over BPerfect’s failure to respond to their inquiries, which violated the marketing Committee of Advertising Practice (CAP) codes regarding unreasonable delays in addressing complaints.
Although Vavron’s management responded by stating that the video was not planned or paid for, but rather a response to a user’s comment, the ASA ruled that it was not adequately identifiable as a marketing communication. They highlighted that Vavron’s mention of her “collab” with BPerfect was insufficient to make it clear to TikTok users, especially those new to the platform, that she was promoting products from her own brand.
As a result, the ASA instructed both BPerfect and Vavron to ensure the commercial intent of their social media posts is clearly indicated in the future. This can be achieved by including identifiers such as #ad. The ruling serves as a reminder to brands and influencers alike to be transparent and make their promotional content readily recognizable to consumers.
BPerfect Cosmetics has previously collaborated with various influencers and social media personalities, including former Love Island star Ekin-Su Cülcüloğlu, makeup artists Katie Daley, and Stacey Marie.
