The Influencer Marketing Trade Body (IMTB) has secured full membership status at the Committee of Advertising Practice (CAP), gaining voting rights at the UK’s advertising rule-making body, according to an announcement.
The unanimous decision by CAP directors elevates IMTB from its previous associate member status, which it held since March 2023 when it became the first new CAP member in over a decade. While associate membership permitted IMTB to attend and speak at CAP meetings, full membership now grants the organization voting privileges and all other rights and obligations afforded to members.
James Best CBE, Chair of CAP, highlights the significance of this development: “With the rapidly increasing significance of influencers and creators in the advertising market, it is important that the agencies at the heart of the sector are well-represented on CAP.”
Regulatory Context Amid Compliance Challenges
The membership upgrade comes against a backdrop of compliance challenges within the influencer marketing sector. A recent Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) report found that fewer than three in five influencer advertisements on Instagram and TikTok in the UK are adequately disclosed to consumers, with approximately 57% of influencer content appropriately labeled as advertising.
This represents an improvement from previous monitoring but still falls short of expected industry standards..
Shahriar Coupal, Director of CAP, frames the IMTB’s full membership as part of a broader effort to address these challenges: “At a time when UK creators report feeling unable to shape government policies, and the Government’s industrial strategy is seeking to ‘harness the potential of the growing creator economy’, the IMTB and CAP provide an expert self-regulatory partnership.”
European Expansion and Industry Standards
IMTB’s enhanced role follows its participation in forming the European Influencer Marketing Alliance (EIMA) in May 2024, joining counterparts from France and Germany. EIMA subsequently became an associate industry member of the European Advertising Standards Alliance (EASA), reflecting what UMICC’s European Affairs Coordinator Quentin Bordage described as “the industry’s economic strength, maturity, and impact on content creators’ followers.”
The IMTB also co-owns the Influencer Marketing Code of Conduct with the Incorporated Society of British Advertisers (ISBA). The Code, initially launched in 2021 and most recently updated in November 2024, aims to standardize practices across brands, agencies, and creators, covering areas including disclosure, transparency, pay parity, and effective representation.
In May 2025, the Code received new signatories, including both “progressive influencer firms” and “household name” brands such as Billion Dollar Boy, Influencer, bet365, Kolsquare, Hypetap, PrimeTag, Domino’s, and Connect Management.
Founded in October 2021 with six founding members, the IMTB now represents approximately 30 creator economy companies committed to building “a robust, sustainable future for the influencer marketing industry through increased accountability, governance, and a unified voice.”
Dragomir is a Serbian freelance blog writer and translator. He is passionate about covering insightful stories and exploring topics such as influencer marketing, the creator economy, technology, business, and cyber fraud.
The Influencer Marketing Trade Body (IMTB) has secured full membership status at the Committee of Advertising Practice (CAP), gaining voting rights at the UK’s advertising rule-making body, according to an announcement.
The unanimous decision by CAP directors elevates IMTB from its previous associate member status, which it held since March 2023 when it became the first new CAP member in over a decade. While associate membership permitted IMTB to attend and speak at CAP meetings, full membership now grants the organization voting privileges and all other rights and obligations afforded to members.
James Best CBE, Chair of CAP, highlights the significance of this development: “With the rapidly increasing significance of influencers and creators in the advertising market, it is important that the agencies at the heart of the sector are well-represented on CAP.”
Regulatory Context Amid Compliance Challenges
The membership upgrade comes against a backdrop of compliance challenges within the influencer marketing sector. A recent Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) report found that fewer than three in five influencer advertisements on Instagram and TikTok in the UK are adequately disclosed to consumers, with approximately 57% of influencer content appropriately labeled as advertising.
This represents an improvement from previous monitoring but still falls short of expected industry standards..
Shahriar Coupal, Director of CAP, frames the IMTB’s full membership as part of a broader effort to address these challenges: “At a time when UK creators report feeling unable to shape government policies, and the Government’s industrial strategy is seeking to ‘harness the potential of the growing creator economy’, the IMTB and CAP provide an expert self-regulatory partnership.”
European Expansion and Industry Standards
IMTB’s enhanced role follows its participation in forming the European Influencer Marketing Alliance (EIMA) in May 2024, joining counterparts from France and Germany. EIMA subsequently became an associate industry member of the European Advertising Standards Alliance (EASA), reflecting what UMICC’s European Affairs Coordinator Quentin Bordage described as “the industry’s economic strength, maturity, and impact on content creators’ followers.”
The IMTB also co-owns the Influencer Marketing Code of Conduct with the Incorporated Society of British Advertisers (ISBA). The Code, initially launched in 2021 and most recently updated in November 2024, aims to standardize practices across brands, agencies, and creators, covering areas including disclosure, transparency, pay parity, and effective representation.
In May 2025, the Code received new signatories, including both “progressive influencer firms” and “household name” brands such as Billion Dollar Boy, Influencer, bet365, Kolsquare, Hypetap, PrimeTag, Domino’s, and Connect Management.
Founded in October 2021 with six founding members, the IMTB now represents approximately 30 creator economy companies committed to building “a robust, sustainable future for the influencer marketing industry through increased accountability, governance, and a unified voice.”
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