Brands and businesses that run influencer campaigns face growing scrutiny, with new research from Roy Morgan showing more than four in five Australians (84 per cent) say it's important influencers disclose when content is advertising.
Many fashion brands across Australia include influencer marketing as part of their overall marketing budget.
The latest Ad Standards Community Sentiment Tracking Research, conducted by Roy Morgan, also shows influencer marketing is now a mainstream part of Australia's advertising landscape. Eight-in-ten Australians (83 per cent) are familiar with influencer marketing, and more than half (57 per cent) encounter it daily.
Ad Standards executive director Greg Wallace said the findings highlight clear community expectations around transparency.
“Influencer marketing is now a well-established advertising channel, and with that comes the same expectation of transparency and responsibility that Australians have for all advertising,” Wallace said.
“Clear disclosure helps audiences understand when content is advertising and supports trust in brands and creators.”
This comes after Melbourne fashion brand Eliya the Label was caught in an advert debacle when an influencer shared content about the brand after they attended an autumn/winter showing event. The influencer made several references to the clothing seen at the event, and her outfit.
A complaint was handed in to Ad Standards on the grounds that the influencer must have gotten the outfits for free and/or been paid to post this ad for Eliya the label or attended the event (with free food and drink) but there is no clear identifier that this was an ad. No ‘Paid Partnership’ and no clear hashtag such as #Ad, #PaidPromotion, #Sponsored, or #CommercialPartnership.
Eliya quickly responded, confirming they did not pay the influencer to share that content, and that it was not part of a contract or obligation. The brand noted the Instagram content was independently created and voluntarily shared by the influencer at her own discretion as organic social media content reflecting her personal opinions and experiences.
However, an Ad Standards community panel found that the material had constituted an ad, but that it was not in breach of section 2.7 of the AANA Code of Ethics, as the ad was clearly distinguishable as an ad.
The panel considered that the influencer attended an event hosted by the Eliya, and that by inviting them, there was likely an anticipation that the influencer would post about it. The Code also stipulates that payment is not a pre-requisite for determining whether social media content is considered advertising.
But, the panel considered that the post included the brand’s handle and tagged them. It also contained language that clearly promotes the brand, and makes it clear that the influencer attended Eliya’s launch. The influencer also references the company’s name repeatedly both in aural and in written format.
According to Wallace, the AANA Code of Ethics already requires advertising to be clearly distinguishable as advertising.
“In practice, this means influencers should disclose relationships with brands in a way that’s clear, upfront and easy for audiences to recognise.”
Beyond meeting community expectations, transparency also protects reputation, according to the Roy Morgan survey. Around three-quarters of Australians said clear disclosure would have a neutral or positive impact on their perception of a brand or influencer, while approximately four-in-five said failing to disclose a paid promotion would negatively affect their perception.
The research also found that concerns about influencer marketing are strongly linked to transparency and authenticity. This includes influencers promoting products they may not genuinely use or believe in (60 per cent), intentionally disguising paid promotions (59 per cent), and content not being clearly identifiable as advertising (52 per cent).
More than half of Australians (52 per cent) were also concerned about children being exposed to influencer promotions that may not be appropriate for them.
Concern is highest in sectors where influencer content can affect important life decisions. Influencer marketing relating to health and medical products or advice generates the greatest concern, followed by financial products and services, gambling, and beauty and cosmetic services.
“As influencer marketing continues to grow, responsible practices and clear disclosure will remain fundamental to maintaining consumer confidence, protecting brand reputation and ensuring brands and creators meet community expectations.”
Roy Morgan CEO Michele Levine said the research highlights the critical role of honesty, transparency and disclosure in influencer marketing.
“Consumers value authenticity and expect influencers to be upfront about commercial arrangements with brands,” Levine said. “Transparency not only helps audiences make informed decisions but also builds the trust that is essential to long-term engagement.”
The influencer marketing findings sit within a broader context of declining trust and sentiment towards advertising overall.
Wallace said that since the first wave of Ad Standards’ Community Sentiment Tracker, both net trust and net sentiment have fallen, while one in two Australians report seeing advertising they consider inappropriate or offensive in the past three months.
“As trust in advertising comes under pressure, the importance of responsible advertising grows,” Wallace said. “Advertising that aligns with community expectations is fundamental to maintaining confidence in brands and the wider industry.”
The Ad Standards-Roy Morgan Community Sentiment Tracker Survey was conducted online with a cross-section of 1,006 Australians aged 18+ between 18 May and 1 June 2026.