Instagrammers and Influencers

[scotx]

New thread to follow on from this one

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/style_and_beauty/3462129-Can-we-chat-about-fashion-Instagrammers-influencers?msgid=84590932

[MaryPoppinjay]

Thanks @scotx. I think it’s really important to continue the conversation.

[ohsweet]

Thanks for the new thread.

I wonder what influencers do with gifted things that they don't like? Promote them anyway? Send them back? Ignore them?

[Horace23]

I noticed today that goldisa_neutral has gone back and added in the correct ad and tags to some recent posts from the past few days that previously had none. I wonder if this was an attack of conscience or an attempt to get around the rules?

[MaryPoppinjay]

Possible she’s just been considering. Now she knows what to do let’s see if she applies consistently when posting rather than retrospectively (once majority of followers have already seen #ad free)

[MaryPoppinjay]

@ohsweet Emma Hill said she send a lot back. Some may sell on or pass to friends or family (not realising it becomes taxable once they decide to take it, regardless of where it ends up).

[ohsweet]

Interesting.

I was watching Mrs Hinch's stories the other day (not fashion, but still) and the amount of stuff she gets sent is STAGGERING. Just unbelievable.

[EmpressJewel]

I guess the really successful bloggers will just ignore/sell the products they don’t like, whereas the less established ones will promote them anyway. I mean, if someone sent me a freebie, I’d probably learn to love it.

I wonder if we are going to start to see some of the influencers crash and burn as influencing evolves and becomes more competitive? I have followed bloggers who jumped onto the blogging bandwagon in its infancy and so built up a healthy following. Had they started blogging now, I suspect their blogs wouldn’t have taken off. I don’t mean it nastily, it’s just many of them are mediocre in terms of content and pictures.

[MaryPoppinjay]

@Horace23 but she still isn’t declaring #ad at the start of the post which is what she should be doing (gift being a payment in kind).
I have seen more on my feed today doing things correctly - it really isn’t difficult. Makes the ones not doing it properly look deeply shady...

[Horace23]

Oh I agree Poppinjay it's better but not good enough. I have unfollowed a load of big interiors accounts and feel much better for it. They nearly all seem to be absolutely flouting the guidelines. Would love recommendations of anyone who isn't! My eyes have really been opened this week.

It's been said a lot on here that a journalistic background is an asset, but I wonder if for some the gifting that you get as a journalist in say fashion/beauty/interiors is unhelpful as some who are used to that seem to use that as a comparison. Seems like lots of people on the last thread (and me) work in industries where we just cannot accept gifts and everything has to be absolutely above board. Very different worlds.

[Schoeny]

Ohsweet I work for a charity, and recently a lifestyle/fashion blogger did a sale for us of all the stuff she'd been gifted and didn't want.

There was an absolute ton of stuff - makeup, bags, clothes etc. I think one of her team said it was only about 3months worth of stuff!

We raised a good few thousand - and we were not asking anywhere near the RRPs. e.g. leather biker jacket for £50. All "good" brands/designers.

It was a real eye opener as to the sheer volume that some of the bigger names get given.

But at least this one made sure they went to a good cause.

[ThreeFourFive]

Just declaring my monthly name change. Previously AtHomeInFrance.

[Gogreen]

This is new to me!

So a quick question because I’m absolutely interested...

If I post a picture of my gifted kitchen, with no tagging a brand, and in the writing section talk about how I’ve had a horrible day, the husband has divorced me, the kids are leaving home and the weather is great... with normal hashtags relating to that....then in the comment section Jane doe asks where my kitchen is from and I tell her it’s from pinkslidesandmore or whatever brand....is that a ad or not?


Because I e also noticed people on insta who are friends of each other and posting pictures of their friends kitchens which are possible gifted...should that be marked as a ad?

[PeroniZuchini]

Templehead, Pink House Living is one of the worst. Her whole feed seems to basically be a magazine of adverts, none of them disclosed as such.

[ohsweet]

@Schoeny That's amazing! So lovely to hear all that money went to charity.

I see both Billie and Sam Faiers are currently plugging clothing brands with no ad or affiliate declarations.

[MaryPoppinjay]

@Gogreen good question. Personally, if it was me, if the picture was of me in my kitchen and that kitchen was a principle element of the image and was gifted I would declare. If the kitchen is really only glimpsed and not tagged I probably wouldn’t bother. However if somebody then asked where the kitchen was from I would tell them and highlight that it was a #gift.

Doesn’t say anywhere in the advice that comments aren’t subject to the same rules as a post - still a public forum used for influence.

[MaryPoppinjay]

@Horace23 deecampling is an interiors account who seems to be taking the regs seriously this eve.

[theharlotletter]

Thank you for starting a new thread.

[LaPampa]

One of the fashion bloggers on previous thread claimed she would be either writing #ad or #ad (posts contains some gifts) but she’s posted several posts since then with a list of credits some marked (gift) which is an improvement but still doesn’t do what she said she would do in response to the rules.

[Itsautumn]

I have been lurking and I don’t follow many of the Instamums anymore following a similar discussion last year on here.
I’ve just had a quick look at MOD’s latest post and reading the comment section is interesting. It’s clearly just a post to engage with her followers which is all good but then a brand comments on a planter that’s in a pic and she responds. There is no mention of this being a gift and she may of course have bought it with her own money. However, from my perspective I am so cynical now I am assuming it is a gift. It’s this kind of ambiguity which I think annoys followers. I’m only using this as an example and don’t want to single her out specifically, but to highlight how murky it all is. Even if she did pay for it I am now questioning everything as there is no clarity.

[checkedcloth]

MOD showed her true colours again in that last post. She should have declared #AD as she has had a commercial relationship with West Elm in the last 12 months.

When she is asked about this in the comments her reply is less than professional and borders on being rude. She just doesn’t have it in her to manage her reactions when she’s pulled up on something.

[strangerthongs]

It's been really eye opening as to just how much they get. I thought maybe clothes, but kitchens, rugs etc???

I love joanie clothing but I genuinely thought people on insta genuinely liked them too so I feel a bit uneasy that I was lured in.

[theharlotletter]

It can only take a few extra seconds to edit your post to include #ad or whatever. It's really, really not that arduous.

[MaryPoppinjay]

@checkedcloth yeah saw that. rvk_loves pips into the ‘debate’ to support her with inaccurate advice.
I don’t get it really. Are they being deliberately obtuse or just genuinely don’t understand. If they aren’t able to follow the regulations which are part of their job they really should find one less demanding.

[fancynancyclancy]

What doesn’t help is the fact it’s an echo chamber, lots of smaller influencers desperate to be noticed by the big guys & also get the freebies.

[Horace23]

Mod has now amended the post but the petulance from her and others is incredibly offputting. I think this has to be willfull ignorance surely? They don't appear unintelligent in other regards and the rules really aren't hard.