Over 300 of DJ Khaled's social media posts reportedly were paid advertisements for alcohol brands. (Reuters)
DJ Khaled is getting bad vibes from a consumer watchdog group over his alcohol-soaked social media posts, including one in which he pours alcohol into his breakfast cereal.
The famous record producer is under fire from Truth in Advertising (TINA), which claims the musician broke federal law by failing to disclose that over 300 of his social media posts were paid advertisements for alcohol brands.
The findings came after TINA surveyed Khaled’s posts from June 2017 to March 2018.
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At the end of March, the organization and six advocacy groups (Public Citizen, Alcohol Justice, US Alcohol Policy Alliance, Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood, the Center for Digital Democracy and Mothers Against Drunk Driving) sent Khaled a warning letter about his posts. They also shared concerns that Khaled’s promotions were being marketed to a large number of minors who follow him on Snapchat.
The music mogul’s snaps regularly get over two million views, according to the report.
Since receiving the letter nearly two weeks ago, TINA claims that Khaled has cleaned up his accounts, deleting many of the posts and adding a #AD disclosure to others that heavily feature Sovereign Brands’ Belaire sparkling wine and Bumbu rum, Diageo’s Ciroc vodka and Bacardi’s D’Usse cognac.
“DJ Khaled has done the right thing by disclosing his material connections to these alcohol brands,” TINA.org Executive Director Bonnie Patten said in the report. “Time will tell if he is truly committed to ensuring that his followers are not misled by deceptive ads on his social media accounts. As for the alcohol companies, their failure to make certain that DJ Khaled complied with FTC law is absolutely inexcusable.”
Khaled frequently posts images and videos of himself holding bottles of the sponsored alcohol or placing them strategically around his house so they show up in many of his photos. One snap TINA called out in particular was from last summer and featured Khaled pouring alcohol over his cereal.
“Great news and breaking news – back to back two weeks in a row – number one. It’s time to celebrate: grits, Cinnamon Toast Crunch with the Belaire gold key, a little berries, and some Ciroc red berry, and then go back and add a little more berries, and a little more champagne, some grits. . . . Let the celebrations begin,” he said in the story, according to the letter TINA sent to Khaled’s lawyers.
Khaled doesn’t just promote simply drinking the alcohol, but also incorporating it into all areas of his life, TINA argues. “Ciroc and Belaire aren’t just promoted for breakfast. Khaled also recommends Ciroc with homemade cookies, Ciroc ‘slushy style,’ Ciroc at lunch, dinner, in the shower, and always to ‘celebrate success right.’ In fact, according to Khaled, ‘It’s always that time! @ciroc @officialbelaire vibes,’” TINA wrote in the letter.
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While TINA has no plans to file a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission at this time, Patten said they won’t hesitate do so if Khaled continues to post undisclosed ads, the Observer reports.
Khaled’s attorneys have not responded to multiple organizations’ request for comment.