Have you ever been influenced by an Influencer?

[alrajee]

https://www.prweek.com/article/1591917/agency-thrives-ditching-social-media-influencers-focus-traditional-pr

 

Even though this has been the name of the game for the past five or so years, I have yet to be swayed to purchase anything that an Influencer of any genre (style, travel, fitness, food) proclaims to be "epic," "awesome," or "you would not believe."

 

Part of it is because I'm a grouchy (not very) old man, I suppose.

 

A lifetime ago, I worked in traditional media. The standards we had to uphold were very strict: Never feature just one brand in a story, always get quotes from multiple sources, do not run text from the press release as is, travel incognito, etc.

 

This, along with having to actually write in complete sentences with proper grammar.

 

Influencers nowadays (I'm sorry if I'm painting such broad strokes) don't even need to put #ad in their posts: The lack of personality in their words is a dead giveaway that they were sent a box of clothes and were asked to talk about it in their social channels. Poor writing--and my God is there a ton of them--turns me off completely, earning the account a spot in my ignore list.

[+ azdr0710]

AMEN!.......making a living pimping for products is no way to go thru life!.......

 

I was in SE Asia a few months ago and, unlike here (???), being an "influencer" there seems to be something to be proud of..... large, flashy billboards proclaimed the "influencer" status of somebody or another (the very word was highlighted)......I haven't seen that here, yet.....

 

funny, my auto-correct is flagging the word "influencer" just now!!....yay!

 

I really hope this is just a phase we're going through......

[jjkrkwood]

I still don't know what an "influencer" is or does, other than posting shit on the internet. In the olden days, weren't these called "commercials" ? Seems every millennial now identifies as an influencer.... Gee I'm OLD. Perhaps I can be a "geriatric" influencer, and get people to buy suppositories, Ben Gay and Metamuesil ?

Edited July 31, 2019 by jjkrkwood

[hypothetically]

https://www.prweek.com/article/1591917/agency-thrives-ditching-social-media-influencers-focus-traditional-pr

 

Even though this has been the name of the game for the past five or so years, I have yet to be swayed to purchase anything that an Influencer of any genre (style, travel, fitness, food) proclaims to be "epic," "awesome," or "you would not believe."

 

Part of it is because I'm a grouchy (not very) old man, I suppose.

 

A lifetime ago, I worked in traditional media. The standards we had to uphold were very strict: Never feature just one brand in a story, always get quotes from multiple sources, do not run text from the press release as is, travel incognito, etc.

 

This, along with having to actually write in complete sentences with proper grammar.

 

Influencers nowadays (I'm sorry if I'm painting such broad strokes) don't even need to put #ad in their posts: The lack of personality in their words is a dead giveaway that they were sent a box of clothes and were asked to talk about it in their social channels. Poor writing--and my God is there a ton of them--turns me off completely, earning the account a spot in my ignore list.

 

Times have changed and you’re not the demographic they’re marketing to.

[jjkrkwood]

Times have changed and you’re not the demographic they’re marketing to.

 

Seems the younger generation is more gullible and easily swayed. I guess its FOMO ?? If Kylie Jenner says "buy my lip kit", the troops line up to buy it.... I'm not such an easy target. I guess that's why my "nest egg" is so lumpy ?

[hypothetically]

Seems the younger generation is more gullible and easily swayed. I guess its FOMO ?? If Kylie Jenner says "buy my lip kit", the troops line up to buy it.... I'm not such an easy target. I guess that's why my "nest egg" is so lumpy ?

 

[+ FrankR]

Yes, i have! Jeremy Fragrance helped me up my game in that department. I also enjoy Alpham, but hardly ever buy into the stuff he’s selling - he’s done some fun youtube videos in the past. ?

[+ BenjaminNicholas]

Times have changed and you’re not the demographic they’re marketing to.

 

This. 100%.

[+ ArVaGuy]

Did anyone actually read the article in the link? It pretty much exposes the influencer scam.

 

I certainly like looking at the hot guys on Instagram but none of them have influenced to buy a product.

[mike carey]

Did anyone actually read the article in the link? It pretty much exposes the influencer scam.

 

I certainly like looking at the hot guys on Instagram but none of them have influenced to buy a product.

Ok, AVG, I confess, I didn't read the article. But then, as a non-Instagram user, I was never the target audience for the 'influencers'. Not that I would have been even if I did frequent Instagram. The whole thing is sort of interesting as a phenomenon viewed from afar but not something that affects me. So, 'yawn'.

[Rudynate]

Yes, i have! Jeremy Fragrance helped me up my game in that department. I also enjoy Alpham, but hardly ever buy into the stuff he’s selling - he’s done some fun youtube videos in the past. ?

 

I find his youtube vids on personal grooming very useful. I learned how to trim my pubes from him and I loved his vid on clipping your stomach hair to emphasize your happy trail.

[LookingAround]

Have I been influenced by an influencer? Only when I want them naked and in my bed. ?

[MrMattBig]

The OP article is from a different market "Australian-headquarterd shop with an office in the UK".

So for most of us here that are USA based, the article may be out of touch with our current influencer enviroment. Also, most get paid/free product for incorporating product into their lifestyle brand. For example, a makeup artist doing tutorials on YouTube, or a healthy lifestyle blogger using certain food products. It's not as in your face as "here buy this you will love it" Although some influencers are. And because of comments via social media, if you are found out or suspected of being fake with your endorsements, it could damage your career. So their is insentive to be honest. The landscape is just like escorting really. Lots try their hand at it, most fumble their way through, and some excel at it.

[+ purplekow]

Well if a reviewer here can be counted as an influencer then yes, though they are usually reviewers not people who are getting something in return for their review.

However, there have been escorts here, one particularly infamous initialled escort, who went so far as to offer meals and bedtime treats in exchange for a good review. However in that particular case, there was not enough influence in the world to get me to try that sample.

[+ BenjaminNicholas]

... bedtime treats...

 

Cookies, right?

 

You must be talking about cookies.

[+ purplekow]

Cookies, right?

 

You must be talking about cookies.

Cookies indeed and sometimes a nice big juicy pear.

[RM]

I wouldn't recognize an influencer if they bit me on the ass.

[+ poolboy48220]

Not so much an influencer, but I did buy some cologne years ago strictly because the ads featured a gorgeous hairy-chested guy; so many models are smooth that I felt I had to encourage this trend. The cologne was dreadful, I gave it away after a while. Now that I think of it, I gave it to a now-retired escort, if I recall correctly. :-)

[+ Keith30309]

Isn’t part of the point of being influenced that you may not be consciously aware that you were influenced. If I am busy painting my toenails and in the background there is a television advertisement for CocaCola with a catchy jingle then haven’t I been unconsciously influenced ?

Same thing for a pop-up video of Snoop Dogg mentioning zero coupon municipal bonds or something.

[+ BenjaminNicholas]

a pop-up video of Snoop Dogg mentioning zero coupon municipal bonds or something

 

Just the mental image of this is awesome.

 

Have Snoop also throw in a spiel about Roth IRAs and I'm sold.

[+ Keith30309]

Just the mental image of this is awesome.

 

Have Snoop also throw in a spiel about Roth IRAs and I'm sold.

 

 

We make money the old fashioned way.....

 

 

We BURN it !

[+ nycman]

I took my first gay cruise (of many)....because I was influenced by Steven Draker

 

I took my first trip to Key West (of many)....because I was influenced by Benjamin Nicholas.

 

Does that count?

[Guest]

They sometimes influence me to jack off to their pictures. But that's my life. One jack-off to another. Thank God my fiance doesn't mind. Otherwise I'd have to jump his bones every single night.

[alrajee]

Times have changed and you’re not the demographic they’re marketing to.

I don't completely agree. Yes, I'm not the market for fashion and beauty influencers, but I'd like to think I still fall in the fitness, travel, and even food segments for influencers.

[alrajee]

One market I am particularly alarmed (maybe too strong a word) about are the self-styled fitness influencers. You have absolutely ripped guys offering coaching services despite their lack of education (Google University doesn't count), lack of hands-on training, and are too quick to hawk the supplements that they are sponsors of.