The encyclopedia · Advertising & PR · Marketing decision · 2021
Play Social's 'follow all 55 accounts' giveaway — only 20 were ever checked
An Instagram giveaway told people to follow all 55 accounts. Play Social only checked 20 — so some entrants played a game nobody told them about.
Play Social · 2021-12
What happened
On 15 April 2021 influencer Anastasia Kingsnorth posted an Instagram giveaway for Play Social: 'HUGE GIVEAWAY WORTH THOUSANDS' with prizes including Prada, a MacBook Pro, an iPhone 12, a Dyson Airwrap and a PS5. Entry required following @playsocialuk 'and EVERYONE they are following', tagging a friend, and the post warned: 'Must follow ALL 55 accounts to be part of the giveaway (They check!)'.
Eight complainants challenged whether the promotion was administered fairly because the 55 accounts followed by @playsocialuk frequently changed. SR2AN Ltd, the company behind Play Social, said 20 of the 55 accounts were always present and were the ones used to check entries, but that this was only communicated via terms and conditions on its website and Instagram stories. Kingsnorth's representatives said they had been assured the 20 accounts stayed the same.
On 22 December 2021 the ASA upheld the complaints. Consumers would understand the ad to mean they had to follow all 55 accounts, but only 20 'core' accounts were checked — information that was not disclosed and was significant to how the promotion worked. It was less onerous than promised and disadvantaged entrants who did follow all 55. The promotion breached CAP rules 8.1, 8.14, 8.17 and 8.17.1.
Why it happened
- The ad said 'They check!' — but only 20 of the 55 accounts were ever checked, and the 20 were never named.
- Entrants who followed all 55 followed a rule nobody needed — the advertised game was harder than the real one.
- Eight complainants caught the changing follow-list — the hidden mechanism was visible to its own audience.
- A follow-everyone entry rule is only fair if the list is stable, disclosed and actually checked.
The lesson
A giveaway's rules must be the real rules: Play Social asked entrants to follow all 55 accounts but only checked 20 — the ASA banned the promotion for hiding the easier path.
Aftermath
The ASA told Play Social and Anastasia Kingsnorth to ensure future promotions included significant information about how to participate.
Sources
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