Endorsement Disclosure
A clear statement revealing a material connection between an endorser and a brand, required by FTC guidelines and platform policies.
What Endorsement Disclosure means
Endorsement disclosure is the practice of clearly revealing any material connection between a person endorsing a product and the brand behind it. The FTC's Endorsement Guides require disclosure of paid partnerships, free products, affiliate relationships, and any other material connections that could affect the credibility of a recommendation. Disclosures must be clear and conspicuous — visible, understandable, and not easily missed. Social media platforms have implemented their own disclosure tools: Meta's Branded Content tag, Instagram's Paid Partnership label, YouTube's 'Includes paid promotion' checkbox, and TikTok's Branded Content toggle. Simply using hashtags like #ad or #sponsored may not be sufficient — the FTC looks at whether the disclosure is effective in context. Non-compliance can result in FTC enforcement actions against both the brand and the endorser.
Related terms
Branded Content
Content created by influencers or publishers that features or is influenced by a brand, requiring proper disclosure and platform tagging.
Influencer Marketing
Marketing through partnerships with social media influencers who promote brands to their followers, requiring proper disclosure.
FTC
The Federal Trade Commission — the primary US federal agency enforcing truth-in-advertising laws and consumer protection regulations.
Paid Partnership
A commercial arrangement between a brand and a creator that must be disclosed through platform tools and proper labeling.