Trade association DDMA, in cooperation with the Association of Advertisers (bvA) and the Advertising Code Committee (RCC), has introduced an influencer certificate. Influencers who obtain this certificate are included in a public register (1) and are allowed to announce via text and a logo that they are "Certified by influencerregels.com.
This certificate aims to increase influencers ' knowledge of the laws and regulations surrounding influencer marketing and transparency in the influencer market.
The certification program consists of an e-learning and a number of exam questions. The e-learning covers the main rules around transparent advertising, the relevant rules from the Media Act and the rules for specific target groups, products and sectors. In principle, any influencer can obtain the certificate.
By obtaining the certificate, the influencer commits to knowing and complying with the Dutch Advertising Code and other relevant laws and regulations. In addition, he or she is monitored by an online tool of the RCC.
To ensure that influencers stay abreast of current developments, they will have to complete an annual e-learning. Upon successful completion, registration in the public register will be extended for another year.
The director at DDMA, Judith Oude Sogtoen, states (2) that the goal is to create an "ethically responsible influencer sector that not only thrives, but also operates with transparency and integrity." According to the RCC (3), the Netherlands is thereby following the French example, where a certification for influencers has been in place since 2021.
Meanwhile, several major influencers are already certified and registered. Several major advertisers including Coca-Cola Netherlands, L'Oréal Group, TUI and Heineken have already indicated they only want to work with certified influencers. A number of these companies, for example, have already made obtaining the certificate a requirement in the contracts they sign with influencers.
We are keeping an eye on these and other developments surrounding the regulation of influencers with interest.
Many alerts and reports on this topic talk about an influencer "seal of approval. The logo that an influencer may use after obtaining certification is not an official seal of approval or certification mark. It is merely an indication that the e-learning has been successfully completed and that the influencer in question is included in the public register of certified influencers.
https://influencerregels.com/certified-influencers/
https://ddma.nl/kennisbank/certified-by-influencrregels-com-naar-een-meer-transparante-en-verantwoordelijke-sector/
Certificate and public registry for influencers to promote transparency
