Claims, endorsements and testimonials

Helpful advice on how to correctly make claims and use endorsements and testimonials in advertising.

We recognise that testimonials can be an important tool to help advertisers promote their products and services. A negative or positive review can affect a consumer’s decision to part with their money. However it is just as important for advertisers to stick to the rules when using testimonials or endorsements in their ads.

Advertisers must be able to prove to us that testimonials and endorsements are from a real person and reflect accurately what that person said. Any claims made in endorsements or testimonials, which are likely to be interpreted as fact, must not mislead other consumers. Advertisers should be aware we do not accept testimonials as sufficient evidence to prove a claim about how effective a product is, i.e. that it worked. For example, a testimonial that product X cured the consumer of an illness.

It is also important that advertisers have the permission of the consumer to feature their testimonial in their ads and that they are aware of their obligations under the Database Practice rules for doing this.

There are some circumstances where the use of testimonials and endorsements in ads is strictly prohibited altogether. The use of health professionals or celebrities to endorse medicines is not allowed and advertisers can’t make health claims that refer to the recommendation of an individual health professional.

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Latest rulings

Charlie Johnson
- Upheld
- Social media (paid ad)
- 15 October 2025
Two paid-for social media ads by Charlie Johnson, a business coach in the fitness industry, misleadingly implied that claimed lifestyle and earning results were typical and that a promotion was time limited when this wasn’t the case.
Grant Cardone Training Technologies Inc t/a Grant Cardone
- Upheld
- Social media (paid ad)
- 15 October 2025
A paid-for Facebook ad for an online business event by businessman Grant Cardone misleadingly implied that claimed earnings results were typical.
Jessica Crane Ltd
- Upheld
- Social media (paid ad), Website (own site)
- 15 October 2025
A paid-for Facebook and Instagram ad for a wealth and business coach company, run by Jessica Crane, misleadingly implied that lifestyle and earnings results were typical, misled in relation to the content of training material available for free and made unsubstantiated claims about the number of top salon owners using ...
Robbins Research International Inc t/a Tony Robbins
- Upheld
- Social media (paid ad)
- 15 October 2025
A paid-for Facebook post by Tony Robbins advertising a business coaching course misleadingly implied that claimed earnings results were typical.

View all rulings

Claims, endorsements and testimonials

Helpful advice on how to correctly make claims and use endorsements and testimonials in advertising.

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Latest rulings

Charlie Johnson

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