- Short answer
- UK: ASA/CAP advice says Instagram's Paid partnership label "may be sufficient" if upfront, clear and prominent; add "Ad" if unsure.
- Add "Ad" when
- You're not sure, e.g. the label is obscured by the image background or doesn't make clear it's advertising (ASA/CAP)
- CMA's test (creators' guide)
- Tool labels allowed if "clear and easy to see or access"; #Ad upfront if they don't clearly convey an ad
- Preferred label
- One that calls the content advertising, such as "Ad" (ASA and CMA)
What does ASA/CAP advice say about Instagram's Paid partnership label?
The CAP Executive's advice for influencers and brands on the ASA site, read in October 2026, makes a platform's own label conditional:
Where the platform you’re using provides a tool which can label branded content for you, e.g., the ‘Paid partnership’ tool on Instagram, this may be sufficient if the label is upfront, clear, and prominent when it’s added to your content.
The same page adds that the ASA's 2026 research found this label “can help consumers recognise ads, but may not be enough on its own”.
If you're not sure — say, the label is obscured by the background of your image or doesn't make clear that the content is advertising — the same advice says to include an additional “Ad” label.
Does the CMA accept a platform's paid partnership label?
Yes, with a test. The CMA's guide for content creators allows tools such as ‘paid partnership’ or ‘branded content’ provided the label is “clear and easy to see or access”. If the tool doesn't clearly convey that the content is an ad, creators should include “#Ad in a clear, upfront position”.
Should your creator brief ask for the label, “Ad”, or both?
Both, in our view. ASA/CAP advice says the ASA and the CMA “prefer labels that explicitly call out the content as ‘advertising’”, such as “Ad”.
Asking for both — Paid partnership switched on and “Ad” upfront — takes the “if you're not sure” call out of each post. That pairing is our advice, not a rule either regulator states.
ASA/CAP advice says brands and influencers are both responsible for making ads obviously identifiable. For the rest of the brief, see what your creator brief and Collabs terms should require.
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