Influencer advertising on TikTokadvert formats and illicit product advertising. A study involving Germany, France, Spain and Italy

  1. Rebeca Suárez-Álvarez 1
  2. Ana Pastor-Rodríguez 2
  1. 1 Universidad Rey Juan Carlos
    info

    Universidad Rey Juan Carlos

    Madrid, España

    ROR https://ror.org/01v5cv687

  2. 2 Universidad de Valladolid
    info

    Universidad de Valladolid

    Valladolid, España

    ROR https://ror.org/01fvbaw18

Revue:
Comunicación y sociedad = Communication & Society

ISSN: 2386-7876

Année de publication: 2023

Volumen: 36

Número: 3

Pages: 175-191

Type: Article

DOI: 10.15581/003.36.3.175-191 DIALNET GOOGLE SCHOLAR lock_openDadun editor

D'autres publications dans: Comunicación y sociedad = Communication & Society

Objectifs de Développement Durable

Résumé

Advertising by influencers on YouTube and Instagram has become a common practice, which includes the incorporation of advertising into their audio-visual productions as well. This study is being conducted to determine whether TikTok users from Germany, France, Spain, and Italy are using the social network to advertise products and services, and whether they are promoting products that are banned by TikTok. Using content analysis, 320 videos from 16 European tiktokers in Germany, France, Spain and Italy have been studied based on gender and nationality. The tiktokers ranged between 17 and 21 years of age with more than one million followers. The results confirm that tiktokers maintain a balance between the content they post and the advertising they insert. Both genders include a similar percentage of advertising and, based on nationality, French and Spanish tiktokers are the ones who use the most advertising in their work. Product placement is the most popular format for tiktokers of both genders in France, Spain and Germany, whereas branded content is preferred by Italian male tiktokers. None of the tiktokers of the four nationalities have violated the rules imposed by TikTok, as they have refrained from publishing illicit or dangerous products, either because of measures being taken by the social network itself to limit the exposure to these types of products, or as the result of self-regulation by the tiktokers in order to avoid being removed from the social network.

Références bibliographiques

  • Agulleiro Prats, A., Miquel-Segarra, S., García Medina, I. & González Romo, Z. F. (2020). El reto de regular un perfil no profesionalizado: microinstagramers de moda. Fonseca, Journal of Communication, 20, 15-34. https://www.doi.org/10.14201/fjc2020201534
  • Alassani, R. & Göretz, J. (2019). Product Placements by Micro and Macro Influencers on Instagram. In G. Meiselwitz (Ed.), Social Computing and Social Media. Communication and Social Communities. HCII 2019. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, 11579. Cham: Springer. https://www.doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-21905-5_20
  • Álvarez Rodríguez, V. (2020). Tipos de product placement: Una visión teórica. IROCAMM, 1(3), 7-22. https://www.doi.org/10.12795/IROCAMM.2020.v01.i03.01
  • Anderson, K. E. (2020). Getting acquainted with social networks and apps: it is time to talk about TikTok. Library hi tech news, 37(4), 7-12. https://www.doi.org/10.1108/lhtn-01-2020-0001
  • Autocontrol (2019). Código de conducta publicitaria. Retrieved from https://bit.ly/3DonHdw
  • Autocontrol (2020). Código de conducta sobre el uso de “influencers” en la publicidad. Retrieved from https://bit.ly/3LtsKwk
  • Autorité de régulation professionnelle de la publicité (2022). Recommandation Communication publicitaire (numérique v5, 1). Retrieved from https://bit.ly/3LrkJI5
  • Bouton C. & Yustas Y. (2012). Product placement (Emplazamiento de producto). La publicidad eficaz. Madrid: Pirámide.
  • Britt, R. K., Hayes, J. L., Britt, B. C. & Park, H. (2020). Too big to sell? A computational analysis of network and content characteristics among mega and micro beauty and fashion social media influencers. Journal of Interactive Advertising, 20(2), 111-118. https://www.doi.org/10.1080/15252019.2020.1763873
  • Bucknell Bossen, C. & Kottasz, R. (2020). Uses and gratifications sought by pre-adolescent and adolescent TikTok consumers. Young consumers, 21(4), 463-478. https://www.doi.org/10.1108/yc-07-2020-1186
  • Bureau Européen des Unions de Consommateurs (BEUC, 2021). TikTok without filters. Retrieved from https://www.beuc.eu/publications/beuc-x-2021-012_tiktok_without_filters.pdf
  • Cantawee, S., Witoonphan, N. & Sammasutc, T. (2021). Influencers Affecting Consumer s’ Purchase Intentions through VDO Advertising on TikTok Online Social Media in Chonburi Province. UBRU International Journal Ubon Ratchathani Rajabhat University, 1(2). Retrieved from https://so04.tci-thaijo.org/index.php/ubruij/article/view/254154
  • Castillo, G. P. & González, A. B. O. (2018). “Instagramers” e “influencers”. El escaparate de la moda que eligen los jóvenes menores españoles. aDResearch: Revista Internacional de Investigación en Comunicación, 18, 42-59. https://www.doi.org/10.7263/adresic-018-03
  • Cohen, R., Irwin, L., Newton-John, T. & Slater, A. (2019). # bodypositivity: A content analysis of body positive accounts on Instagram. Body image, 29, 47-57. https://www.doi.org/10.1016/j.bodyim.2019.02.007
  • Costa-Sánchez, C. (2017). Estrategias de videomarketing online. Tipología por sectores de negocio. Communication & Society, 30(1), 17-38. https://www.doi.org/10.15581/003.30.1.17-38
  • Darmatama, M. & Erdiansyah, R. (2021). The Influence of Advertising in Tiktok Social Media and Beauty Product Image on Consumer Purchase Decisions. Advances in Social Science, Education and Humanities Research, 570, 888-892. https://www.doi.org/10.2991/assehr.k.210805.140
  • De Leyn, T., De Wolf, R., Vanden Abeele M. & De Marez, L. (2021). In-between child’s play and teenage pop culture: tweens, TikTok & privacy. Journal of Youth Studies, 1-18. https://www.doi.org/10.1080/13676261.2021.1939286
  • De Veirman, M., Cauberghe, V. & Hudders, L. (2017). Marketing through Instagram influencers: the impact of number of followers and product divergence on brand attitude. International journal of advertising, 36(5), 798-828. https://www.doi.org/10.1080/02650487.2017.1348035
  • De Veirman, M., Hudders, L. & Nelson, M. R. (2019). What Is Influencer Marketing and How Does It Target Children? A Review and Direction for Future Research. Frontiers in Psychology, 10. https://www.doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.02685
  • Deutscher Werberat (2021). Halbjahresbilanz 2021 des Werberats - Fälle beim Werberat steigen, Unternehmen reagieren prompt und konstruktiv. Retrieved from https://bit.ly/36H0dEK
  • Directiva (UE) 2018/1808 Del Parlamento Europeo y del Consejo de 14 de noviembre de 2018 por la que se modifica la Directiva 2010/13/UE sobre la coordinación de determinadas disposiciones legales, reglamentarias y administrativas de los Estados miembros relativas a la prestación de servicios de comunicación audiovisual (Directiva de servicios de comunicación audiovisual), habida cuenta de la evolución de las realidades del mercado. Diario Oficial de la Unión Europea L303, de 28 de noviembre de 2018.
  • Djafarova, E. & Rushworth, C. (2017). Exploring the credibility of online celebrities’ Instagram profiles in influencing the purchase decisions of young female users. Computers in Human Behavior, 68, 1-7. https://www.doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2016.11.009
  • Elmundo.es (October 2, 2018). Un tercio de usuarios no identifica la publicidad engañosa en redes. ElMundo.es. Retrieved from https://bit.ly/3IU5J3Z
  • Emplifi (2022). Emplifi Predicts 2023 To Be the Year of Authenticity with Brands Relying on “Customer Influencers” Across Social Platforms. Retrieved from https://emplifi.io/press/social-media-marketing-predictions-2023-year-of-authenticity
  • European Advertising Standards Alliance (2022). Self-Regulatory Organisations. Retrieved from https://www.easa-alliance.org/members/europe
  • Eurostat (2023). Individuals using the internet for participating in social networks. Retrieved from https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrowser/view/tin00127/default/table?lang=en
  • Feijoo, B. & Fernández-Gómez, E. (2021). Niños y niñas influyentes en YouTube e Instagram: contenidos y presencia de marcas durante el confinamiento. Cuadernos.info, 49, 300-328 https://www.doi.org/10.7764/cdi.49.27309
  • Fernández-Gómez, E., Funes, R. C., San Emeterio, B. M. & Feijoo-Fernández, B. (2021). El uso de Instagram por niños youtubers: gestión de la marca personal, autopromoción y contenidos publicitarios. Estudios sobre el Mensaje Periodístico, 27(4), 1089-1102. https://www.doi.org/10.5209/esmp.75754
  • Ferrer-López, M. (2020). Neuromarketing y la medición del efecto de la publicidad de influencers en adolescentes. Revista Mediterránea de Comunicación, 11(2), 241-259. https://www.doi.org/10.14198/MEDCOM2020.11.2.11
  • Gil Ramírez, M. & de Travesedo Rojas, R. G. (2020). Gestión de la política española en YouTube. Una asignatura pendiente. Observatorio (OBS*), 14(1). https://www.doi.org/10.15847/obsOBS14120201491
  • Haenlein, M., Anadol, E., Farnsworth, T., Hugo, H., Hunichen, J. & Welte, D. (2020). Navigating the New Era of Influencer Marketing: How to be Successful on Instagram, TikTok, & Co. California Management Review, 63(1), 5-25. https://www.doi.org/10.1177/0008125620958166
  • Hootsuit (2022). Digital 2022. Global Overwiew Report. Retrieved from https://datareportal.com/reports/digital-2022-global-overview-report
  • Igartua Perosanz, J. J. (2006). Métodos cuantitativos de investigación en comunicación. Barcelona: Bosch.
  • Interactive Advertising Bureau (2022). Estudio Anual de Redes Sociales. Retrieved from https://iabspain.es/estudio/estudio-de-redes-sociales-2022/
  • Interactive Advertising Bureau (2022). Libro Blanco Marketing de Influencia 2022. Retrieved from https://iabspain.es/estudio/libro-blanco-marketing-de-influencia-version-actualizada-2022/
  • Interactive Advertising Bureau Europe (IAB, 2020). Adex Benchmark 2020 Study. Retrieved from https://iabspain.es/estudio/adex-benchmark-2020-study/
  • International Chamber of Commerce (2018). Código de publicidad y de comunicaciones de mercadeo de la ICC. Retrieved from https://iccwbo.org/publication/icc-advertising-and-marketing-communications-code/
  • Istituto dell’Autodisciplina Pubblicitaria (2021a). II Codice di Autodisciplina della Comunicazione Commerciale. Retrieved from https://www.iap.it/codice-e-altre-fonti/il-codice/
  • Jin, S. V. & Muqaddam, A. (2019). Product placement 2.0: “Do Brands Need Influencers, or Do Influencers Need Brands? Journal of Brand Management, 26, 522-537. https://www.doi.org/10.1057/s41262-019-00151-z
  • Karpinska-Krakowiak, M. & Modlinski, A. (2020). Popularity of branded content in social media. Journal of Computer Information Systems, 60(4), 309-315. https://www.doi.org/10.1080/08874417.2018.1483212
  • Kaye, D. B. V., Chen, X. & Zeng, J. (2021). The co-evolution of two Chinese mobile short video apps: Parallel platformization of Douyin and TikTok. Mobile Media Communication, 9(2), 229-253. https://www.doi.org/10.1177/2050157920952120
  • Kemp, S. (2022). Digital 2022: Global Overview Report. Retrieved from https://datareportal.com/reports/digital-2022-global-overview-report
  • Kemp, S. (2023). Digital 2023: Global Overview Report. Retrieved from https://datareportal.com/reports/digital-2023-global-overview-report
  • KI, C., Cuevas, L. M. & Lim, H. (2019). Identification of Key Attributes of Social Media Influencers: An Exploratory Study. International Textile and Apparel Association Annual Conference Proceedings, 76(1). https://www.doi.org/10.31274/itaa.8402
  • Kim, M., Lee, J. K. & Lee, K. Y. (2019). Interplay of content type and product type in the consumer response to native advertising on social media. Asian Journal of Communication, 29(6), 464-482. https://www.doi.org/10.1080/01292986.2019.1679852
  • Kolsquare (2022). Estadísticas de TikTok que tienes que conocer en 2022. Retrieved from bit.ly/3Eb5rpX
  • Krippendorff, K. (2018). Content analysis: An introduction to its methodology. London: Sage.
  • López-Villafranca, P. & Olmedo-Salar, S. (2019). Menores en YouTube, ¿ocio o negocio? Análisis de casos en España y EUA. El profesional de la información, 28(5). https://www.doi.org/10.3145/epi.2019.sep.20
  • Lou, C. & Yuan, S. (2019). Influencer marketing: how message value and credibility affect consumer trust of branded content on social media. Journal of Interactive Advertising, 19(1), 58-73. https://www.doi.org/10.1080/15252019.2018.1533501
  • Martín García, A. (2021). Product placement as an efficient marketing tool within the media mix: The case of General Motors and Transformers. Harvard Deusto Business Research, X(1), 224-237. https://www.doi.org/10.48132/hdbr.345.
  • Martínez-Pastor, E., Cetina-Presuel, R. & Castelló-Martínez, A. (2022). Regulación y autorregulación en la creación de contenidos de menores en plataformas digitales. Revista Mediterránea de Comunicación, 13 (1), 13-15. https://www.doi.org/10.14198/MEDCOM.21413
  • Mena Roa, M. (octubre 14, 2021). Las plataformas más rápidas en alcanzar los mil millones de usuarios [Imagen digital]. Retrieved from https://bit.ly/3qNlgMu
  • Nasr, N. (2022). TikTok: Key figures and statistics in the UK and in the world in 2022. Retrieved from http://bit.ly/3ScKsso
  • Neubaum, S. (2020). Examining the Ethical Dilemmas of Advertising on TikTok. Journalism Student Works, 5. Retrieved from https://scholarworks.uark.edu/jourstuwo/2
  • Neuendorf, K. A. (2017). The content analysis guidebook. London: Sage.
  • Nie, L., Liu, M. & Song, X. (2019). Multimodal learning toward micro-video understanding Syntesis Lectures on Image, Video, and Multimedia Processing. Cham: Springer.
  • Núñez-Cansado, M., López-López, A. & Somarriba-Arechavala, N. (2021). Publicidad encubierta en los kidsfluencers. Una propuesta metodológica aplicada al estudio de caso de los diez youtubers menores con más seguidores de España. Profesional de la información, 30(2). https://www.doi.org/10.3145/epi.2021.mar.19.
  • Omar, B. & Dequan, W. (2020). Watch, Share or Create: The Influence of Personality Traits and User Motivation on TikTok Mobile Video Usage. International Journal of Interactive Mobile Technologies (iJIM), 14(4). https://www.doi.org/10.3991/ijim.v14i04.12429
  • Ostrovsky, A. M. & Chen, J. R. (2020). TikTok and Its Role in COVID-19 Information Propagation. Journal of Adolescent Health, 67, 730. https://www.doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2020.07.039
  • Quiroz, N. T. (2020). La aplicación favorita durante el aislamiento. Revista Argentina de Estudios de Juventud, 14. https://www.doi.org/10.24215/18524907e044
  • Ramos-Serrano, M. & Herrero Diz, P. (2016). Unboxing and brands: youtubers phenomenon through the case study of EvanTubeHD. Prisma Social: Revista de Ciencias Sociales, 1, 90-120. Retrieved from https://revistaprismasocial.es/article/view/1315
  • Reglamento (UE) 2022/2065 Del Parlamento Europeo y del Consejo de 19 de octubre de 2022 relativo a un mercado único de servicios digitales y por el que se modifica la Directiva 2000/31/CE (Reglamento de Servicios Digitales). Diario Oficial de la Unión Europea L277, October 27, 2022. Retrieved from https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/ES/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32022R2065
  • Romero-Coves, A., Carratalá-Martínez, D. & Segarra-Saavedra, J. (2020). Influencers y moda en redes sociales. Análisis de las principales modelos españolas en Instagram. Red Marka, 24(2). https://www.doi.org/10.17979/redma.2020.24.2.7053
  • Sacks, G. & Suk Yi Looi, E. (2020). The Advertising Policies of Major Social Media Platforms Overlook the Imperative to Restrict the Exposure of Children and Adolescents to the Promotion of Unhealthy Foods and Beverages. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17. https://www.doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17114172
  • Schellewald, A. (2021). Communicative Forms on TikTok: Perspectives from Digital Ethnography. International Journal of Communication, 15, 1437-1457. Retrieved from https://ijoc.org/index.php/ijoc/article/view/16414
  • Schouten, P., Janssen, L. & Verspaget, M. (2020). Celebrity vs. Influencer Endorsements in Advertising: The Role of Identification, Credibility, and Product-Endorser Fit. International Journal of Advertising, 39(2), 258-281. https://www.doi.org/10.1080/02650487.2019.1634898
  • Schwemmer, C. & Ziewiecki, S. (2018). Social media sell-out: The increasing role of product promotion on YouTube. Social Media+ Society, 4(3). https://www.doi.org/10.1177/2056305118786720
  • Shutsko, A. (2020). User-Generated Short Video Content in Social Media. A Case Study of TikTok. In G. Meiselwitz (Ed.), Social Computing and Social Media. Participation, User Experience, Consumer Experience, and Applications of Social Computing (pp. 108-125). https://www.doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-49576-3_8
  • Sixto-García, J. & Álvarez-Vázquez, A. (2020). Influencers en Instagram y publicidad engañosa: la necesidad de regular y autorregular. Estudios sobre el Mensaje Periodístico, 26(4), 1611-1622. https://www.doi.org/10.5209/esmp.66921
  • Stokel-Walter, C. (2020). TikTok Sweeps Britain but Norwegians Watch More Videos. Bloomberg.com. Retrieved from http://bitly.ws/rr2B
  • Suárez-Álvarez, R. & García-Jiménez, A. (2021). Centennials on TikTok: type of video. Analysis and comparative Spain-Great Britain by gender, age, and nationality. Revista Latina de Comunicación Social, 79, 1-22. https://www.doi.org/10.4185/RLCS-2021-1503
  • Suárez-Álvarez, R., García-Jiménez, A. & Montes-Vozmediano, M (2021). Analysis of the type of advertising content incorporated in the channels of teenage youtubers. Prisma social, 34, 40-60. Retrieved from https://revistaprismasocial.es/article/view/4340
  • Sun, L., Zhang, H., Zhang, S. & Luo, J. (2020). Content-based analysis of the cultural differences between TikTok and Douyin. In 2020 IEEE International Conference on Big Data (Big Data) (pp. 4779-4786). IEEE. https://www.doi.org/10.1109/BigData50022.2020.9378032
  • Tur-Viñes, V. & Castelló-Martínez, A. (2021). Marcas de alimentación, YouTube y menores. Prácticas comunicativas en el marco autorregulatorio del código PAOS. Communication & Society, 34(2), 87-105. https://www.doi.org/10.15581/003.34.2.87-105
  • Tur-Viñes, V., Núñez-Gómez, P. & González-Río, M. J. (2018). Kid influencers on YouTube. A space for responsibility. Revista Latina de Comunicación Social, 73, 1211-1230. https://www.doi.org/10.4185/rlcs-2018-1303en
  • Victoria Mas, J. S., Méndiz Noguero, A. & Arjona Martín, J. B. (2013). El nacimiento del “Emplazamiento de Producto” en el contexto de la I Guerra Mundial: Hollywood y el período 1913-1920 como marco de referencia. Historia y Comunicación Social, 18, 139-155. https://www.doi.org/10.5209/rev_HICS.2013.v18.43419
  • Vodák, J., Novysedlák, M., Čakanová, L. & Pekár, M. (2019). Who is Influencer and How to Choose the Right One to Improve Brand Reputation? Managing Global Transitions: International Research Journal, 17(2). https://www.doi.org/10.26493/1854-6935.17.149-162
  • Wai Lai, I. K. & Liu, Y. (2020). The effects of content likeability, content credibility, and social media engagement on users’ acceptance of product placement in mobile social networks. Journal of theoretical and applied electronic commerce research, 15(3), 1-19. https://www.doi.org/10.4067/S0718-18762020000300102
  • Woodroof, P. J., Howie, K. M., Syrdal, H. A. & VanMeter, R. (2020). What’s done in the dark will be brought to the light: effects of influencer transparency on product efficacy and purchase intentions. Journal of Product & Brand Management, 29(5), 675-688. https://www.doi.org/10.1108/jpbm-05-2019-2362
  • Xu, L., Yan, X. & Zhan, Z. (2019). Research on the Causes of the “Tik Tok” App Becoming Popular and the Existing Problems. Journal of Advanced Management Science, 7(2). https://www.doi.org/10.18178/joams.7.2.59-63
  • Yang, J., Zhang, J. & Zhang, Y. (2021). Influencer video advertising in TikTok. Mit initiative on the digital economy, 4. Retrieved from https://ide.mit.edu/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Research-Brief_07-02-21.pdf?x57209