Can You Mention Other Brands in Facebook Ads?
Can I mention a competitor or another brand in Facebook ads?
Yes, if the mention is truthful and does not borrow the brand's identity. Meta bans ads that infringe trademarks or copyright, sell counterfeits, falsely claim to represent a business or use a public figure to bait people, and a rights holder's report can get an ad removed. In the US, the FTC encourages truthful, non-deceptive comparative ads.
Naming another brand is not what gets ads pulled. Borrowing it is. An ad that says your blender is quieter than a named rival, and can prove it, is a comparison. An ad that uses the rival’s logo as its main image, copies its product design or implies the rival endorses you runs into Meta’s intellectual property and endorsement rules, often after the other brand reports it. Keep the claim provable and your own brand front and center.
Is it against Meta’s rules to name a competitor in an ad?
Meta’s ad rules on other brands are written around infringement, not mentions. The Third-Party Infringement standard says ads “may not contain content that violates the intellectual property rights of any third party, including copyright, trademark or other legal rights”, and it names one example outright: counterfeit goods, meaning products that copy another company’s trademark (name or logo) or distinctive features to imitate a genuine product.
Meta’s Intellectual Property help page explains what a trademark covers: a word, slogan, symbol or design, such as a brand name or logo, and that trademark law seeks to prevent confusion about who provides, or is affiliated with, a product. It also notes that copyright does not protect names, titles and slogans, which is where trademark comes in.
US law takes a positive view of comparisons. The Federal Trade Commission’s Statement of Policy Regarding Comparative Advertising (13 August 1979) says its policy “encourages the naming of, or reference to competitors”, and that comparative advertising “when truthful and non-deceptive, is a source of important information to consumers”. Meta’s trademark help page reminds readers that laws in different countries may vary, so check the rule where your ad runs.
What can’t you do with another brand in a Facebook ad?
| What the ad does | Meta’s rule it can break | Where the rule is |
|---|---|---|
| Names a competitor in a measured, accurate comparison | Not infringement by itself; the claim still needs evidence | Third-Party Infringement covers infringement, not mentions |
| Uses a competitor’s logo or styling so the ad looks like theirs | Trademark infringement | Third-Party Infringement |
| Sells a lookalike that copies a brand’s name, logo or design | Counterfeit goods | Third-Party Infringement |
| Claims to represent, or speak for, an established brand | Brand-bait | Prohibited Commercial Practices |
| Uses a celebrity’s name, face or image without permission | Celebrity-bait; unauthorized endorsements | Prohibited Commercial Practices |
| Puts “Facebook” or the Instagram logo at the center of the creative | Brand Usage in Ads | Brand Usage in Ads |
Fake endorsements and brand-bait
Meta’s Prohibited Commercial Practices standard, which ads must also follow, defines brand-bait as falsely claiming to represent, or speak in the voice of, an established business, together with misleading tactics to bait people. Celebrity-bait is falsely using the name, likeness or imagery of a public figure in the same way. The ad version of the standard lists “unauthorized endorsements” among the practices it prohibits (Prohibited Commercial Practices, ad standard). If a public figure has not agreed to appear in your ad, leave them out.
Meta’s own brands
Meta treats its own names as a special case. Its Brand Usage in Ads standard lets you make a limited reference to “Facebook” or “Instagram” in ad text to say where the ad leads, but bars making a Meta brand the most prominent feature of the creative, changing its logos, writing “FB”, using “Facebook” as a verb or plural, or using the Meta corporate logo in an ad.
How do you write a comparative ad that holds up?
The FTC frames the test as truthful and non-deceptive, and Meta can remove an ad once the other brand reports it, so build the evidence before the creative.
- Name the competitor in plain text rather than reproducing its logo, packaging or product photography.
- Compare one specific, measurable attribute, such as price on a stated date, weight or battery life, not a vague “better”.
- Keep the test or price check on file with its date, method and the exact products compared.
- State the basis in the ad or on the landing page, so a reader knows what was compared.
- Make your own brand the most prominent name and image in the ad, so no one mistakes whose ad it is.
- Re-check the claim when the competitor changes its price or product, and pause the ad if it no longer holds.
The evidence record for each claim is set out in how do I substantiate claims in Facebook ads? If your comparison quotes customer reviews, the rules in can I use customer reviews in Facebook ads? apply as well.
What happens if the other brand reports your ad?
Meta says ads “may be rejected or removed after being reported to us by an intellectual property rights holder or because there are signs that the ad may infringe the rights of a third party” (Third-Party Infringement). Rights holders file a report from Meta’s trademark help page or apply for Brand Rights Protection, a tool Meta describes as letting brands identify and report content that misuses their intellectual property.
Our reading: a removal after a report starts from the rights holder’s claim, so the evidence from step 3 matters more than the wording of any appeal. If you believe the ad was removed in error, read the notice first, then follow the review route in Facebook ad rejected, how do I appeal? The Facebook ad policy hub collects the other content rules.
FAQ
Can I use a competitor’s brand name in my Facebook ad copy?
Usually yes, for a truthful comparison. The FTC encourages naming competitors when the comparison is truthful and non-deceptive. Meta’s rules target infringement, counterfeits and false claims to represent a brand. Use the name in plain text, keep evidence for the claim, and keep your own brand the most prominent element.
Can I show a competitor’s logo or product in my ad?
It is riskier than naming them. A logo is a trademark, and Meta’s ad standard bans content that infringes trademarks and products that copy another company’s name, logo or distinctive features. If the other brand reports the ad, Meta can remove it. Text and your own product shots carry less risk.
Can I use a celebrity’s photo in a Facebook ad?
Not without their permission. Meta’s Prohibited Commercial Practices standard covers celebrity-bait, the false use of a public figure’s name, likeness or imagery to bait people, and its ad standard prohibits unauthorized endorsements. A signed agreement with the person, covering paid social ads, is what makes the use authorized.
Can I say “as seen on Instagram” in my ad?
Meta allows a limited reference to “Facebook” or “Instagram” in ad text to clarify where an ad leads. Its Brand Usage in Ads standard bars making a Meta brand the most prominent feature, altering its logos, writing “FB” or using “Facebook” as a verb. Keep the words in normal text at normal size.
Sources
Sources: Meta Advertising Standards, Third-Party Infringement, Brand Usage in Ads and Prohibited Commercial Practices; Meta Community Standards, Prohibited Commercial Practices; Facebook Help Center, Intellectual Property and Trademark; Federal Trade Commission, Statement of Policy Regarding Comparative Advertising (checked 2 Oct 2026).