Wåhlin congratulates Max Giese who, with his thesis ”Reklam i sociala medier – en kartläggning av influencers handlingssätt och de rättsliga konsekvenser som följer”, has won the Swedish Consumer Agency’s thesis competition of 2018.

The thesis resolves around people’s use of social media. The communication channel has resulted in the marketing strategy called influencer marketing and Sweden’s first legal case concerning commercial content published by an influencer on social media.

It is clear that commercial content published by influencers on social media should be subject to the same strict requirements as other commercial messages. Especially since the content derives from physical persons, i.e. influencers, the commercial connection must be clear and conspicuously disclosed unless it is already obvious from the context of the communication. The purposes of the social platforms vary and might not always functionally allow or make it possible to communicate a clear and understandable commercial context without having it disclosed.

The thesis and Swedish Consumer Agency’s reason for the award can be read here. The thesis will be presented by Max Giese in Karlstad on the 13^th of November.