Nike faces censure over Rooney tweet
Nike is facing censure over tweets sent by brand ambassador Wayne Rooney following complaints that it was unclear they were part of marketing campaign.
The Advertising Standards Authority is investigating complaints that the message “My resolution – to start the year as a champion, and finish it as a champion” that sat above the hashtag and link “#makeitcount gonike.me/makeitcount” clearly identified it as an endorsement and not a personal opinion.
The ruling, which is expected next month, will be the second by the ASA on a Twitter campaign and will provide further guidance to brands on what is an acceptable use of Twitter for marketing purposes.
In March, Mars escaped censure over the controversial tweets sent by celebrities such as Katie Price and Rio Ferdinand promoting Snickers.
The celebrities sent a series of out of character tweets, for example Price on the debt problems in the Eurozone and Ferdinand on knitting, before ending with a picture of themselves eating a Snickers bar with the line “You’re not you when you’re hungry @snickersUk #hungry #spon”
In its ruling, the Advertising Standards Authority said that consumers would recognise that the series of tweets formed a marketing communication because the spoof posts, and the reveal tweet that included the Snickers brand name, were sent in quick succession.
