How to Disclose Brand Deals in the UK: ASA Rules Every Creator Needs to Know

Disclosing brand deals and gifted content in the UK is not optional. It is a legal requirement, and the rules have become clearer and more enforced in recent years. If you are a creator working with brands, whether that is a full paid partnership or a gifted product, you need to understand how to disclose it correctly. This post breaks it all down in plain English.

Why Disclosure Matters (and What Happens If You Don't)

The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) and the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) both regulate influencer advertising in the UK. The core principle is simple: your audience has the right to know when you have been paid or incentivised to promote something. If they cannot tell the difference between genuine content and advertising, that is misleading, and it is against the law.

Brands and creators have both been investigated and publicly called out by the ASA for inadequate disclosure. While fines are not typically the first step, public rulings damage reputations, and repeat offenders can face escalating consequences. Beyond that, your audience's trust is worth far more than any brand deal. Transparency protects both.

What Counts as Something That Needs Disclosing?

A lot of creators assume disclosure only applies to paid partnerships. It is broader than that. You need to disclose when:

• You have been paid a fee to create or post content
• You have received free products or services in exchange for coverage
• You have received a discount, commission, or any other form of benefit
• You have a commercial relationship with the brand, such as being an ambassador
• The brand has had any editorial control over your content

If a brand has given you anything of value and you are posting about them, disclose it. When in doubt, disclose. Not sure whether your arrangement counts as gifted or paid? See our post on the difference between a gifted collaboration and a paid partnership.

How to Disclose Correctly on Each Platform

The Golden Rule

Disclosure must be upfront, obvious, and impossible to miss. Burying #ad at the end of a long caption after a wall of hashtags does not meet the standard. It must be clear before someone engages with the content.

"If someone has to go looking for your disclosure, it is not a disclosure. It needs to be the first thing they see."

Instagram

• Use Instagram's built-in "Paid partnership" label wherever possible, as this is the clearest signal
• For gifted content, use #gifted or #ad clearly at the start of your caption
• For stories, add a text overlay that says "Ad" or "Gifted" at the start of the story

TikTok

• Use TikTok's "Branded content" toggle in your posting settings for paid partnerships
• Add #ad or #gifted clearly at the start of your caption
• Mention the partnership verbally in the video itself where possible

YouTube

• Tick the "paid promotion" box when uploading
• Disclose verbally at the start of the video, not the end
• Include disclosure in the video description

Blogs and Websites

• State clearly at the top of the post that it contains gifted products or paid promotion
• For affiliate links, disclose that links are affiliate links and you may earn commission

What Labels Are Actually Acceptable?

The ASA has been specific about this. The following are considered clear and acceptable:

• #ad
• #gifted (for non-paid gifting only)
• "Advertisement" or "Advert"
• "Paid partnership with [Brand]"

The following have been ruled as not clear enough on their own:

• #spon or #sp
• #collab
• #ambassador (without an additional ad label)
• Simply tagging the brand without any disclosure
• "Thanks to [Brand] for this product"

A Quick Reference: What Label to Use When

• Paid to post: #ad or "Paid partnership"
• Received product for free, posting voluntarily: #gifted
• Affiliate commission only: Disclose that you earn commission on purchases
• Brand ambassador (ongoing paid relationship): #ad on every piece of content

Disclosing brand deals correctly in the UK is not complicated once you know the rules. Be upfront, be visible, and use clear language. Creators who disclose consistently are trusted more, not less, and that trust is the foundation of everything else in a sustainable creator career. For the full guidelines, the CAP Code is publicly available and worth bookmarking as a reference. Ready to start landing brand deals to disclose? Join the WGY Creator App and get weekly gifting and paid campaign opportunities direct to your phone.

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