Consumers are smarter than many brands think.
They can usually tell when something is paid.
That is why disclosure matters.
Not just because of regulation.
Because of trust.
Example: Perplexity just announced their new 'Personal Computer' agentic software that uses AI to manage your local files etc.
What they didn't announce was that they used paid promotion to help boost engagement.
When brands hide paid promotions or try to make ads look organic, people see through it. And once trust is gone, the campaign may get views but the brand loses credibility.
Clear disclosure does the opposite.
It says:
- we respect the audience
- we are being transparent
- we believe the product can stand on its ownd
The best creator partnerships today do not feel fake because they are labelled. They feel authentic because the fit is real.
People do not hate advertising.
They hate being misled.
In an era where audiences are hyper-aware, honesty is no longer a nice touch.