Gogglebox star and popular Tiktok influencer George Baggs reportedly broke advertising rules by promoting vapes on his social media, despite being under the legal age to do so, investigators have found in new reports.
The 19-year-old Channel 4 star posted a video of nicotine e-cigarettes on TikTok, despite the legal age to promote vapes being 25.
The promotion of nicotine e-cigarettes is prohibited across the UK in the wider media. The watchdog concluded that George broke advertising standards by promoting vapes and he was banned from posting a clip of him holding one of the products again.
He was also warned not to use under 25s to advertise e-cigarettes according to reports in Hull Live, following the clip being investigated, which was found to be in breach of the UK Code of Non-broadcast Advertising, Sales Promotion and Direct Marketing.
The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) found the influencer and e-cigarettes brand HQD Tech broke the advertising code by promoting the e-cigarettes and their components on TikTok.
It also found George's ad had featured someone under 25 with an e-cigarette. The design of TikTok means social media users can be exposed to the video even if they don't follow his account.
In the video which was posted last June, the 19-year-old walked towards the camera holding up a HQD WAVE disposable vape in its packaging. On-screen text alongside the footage read: “Matching my outfit with my new HQD v@pe”.
The clip continued as George got dressed while vaping and the text underneath said: “Always get asked to do these sorta vids so here ya go :) #HQDVIP #uk #trending.” As a result of the investigation the advert was taken down and is now banned from appearing again on social media.
In its decision, the ASA said: “We told HQD Tech Ltd t/a HQD Tech UK and George Baggs that marketing communications with the direct or indirect effect of promoting nicotine-containing e-cigarettes and their components which were not licensed as medicines should not be made from a public TikTok account.
"We also told HDQ Tech that if advertising in media permitted, they must not show people who are, or seem to be, under 25 years of age, using e-cigarettes or playing a significant role.”
George is well-known for featuring with his family on Channel 4's Gogglebox in their Essex family home and racked up a huge following of 1.3 million on TikTok.
The agreement between the star and HQD Tech stipulated the influencer would post about two new products. But the brief stated the content filmed had been expected to showcase his "vaping experience" and instead found the link to the advertisement was veiled.
ASA stated: “They [HDQ Tech] did not believe he was encouraging viewers to try the product; there were no links to purchase the product, or information as to where the product could be purchased and the post did not mention the product type, price, instructions for use or flavours.
“They also said the ad was not targeting specific customers to try the product. HQD Tech said if consumers were to subsequently go on to their website, they would find factual information.”
The contract included a clause for George to abide by the platform’s paid product endorsement policies. Requirements, known as ‘do’s and don’ts’, in this agreement stated he was not to prompt non-smokers to trial the product.
In response to the investigation, the ASA report added: “TikTok said the video was user generated content and it did not appear in paid-for ad space, neither was it disclosed as branded content.
"They said that on being notified of the complaint, they had made the content unavailable to users in the UK as it was a breach of their Terms of Service, which prohibited the advertising of cigarettes and tobacco products [which included e-cigarettes].”
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