'Influencers': Will the tide ever turn?

[InAMess2023]

Just that really. Apologies in advance for the rant...

Latest all over my news feed (I don't actively seek these things out). Is Molly-Mae sunning herself in the Maldives in a ridiculously expensive over water villa after flying business class. All the comments are 'omg boss babe' or 'she works so hard', etc. etc. etc. Even saw that apparently she was at one point running PrettyLittleThing! (Rather than being given the token role of 'Creative Director' and showing herself sat in meetings with her LV notebook). The girl would not know a day of hard work if it hit her on the photoshopped behind - a typical day is getting up late, filming herself in Starbucks, having a few photos with her baby before she hands her back to the nanny, watching Shrek or Harry Potter and doing a quick video talking about her boring day.

I know that I will get comments to say that I'm jealous, and you know what, yes I am? Imagine becoming that rich and that famous (not that I have any desire to be famous whatsoever) just from applying to a reality TV show and having sex on said show. To me it's everything that's wrong with today's society - will it ever change?

I slogged my guts out for six years at uni (with a further six now ahead of me) and yes I have a pretty nice life, I go nice places and I buy nice things, and I have a lot of earning potential in my future but difference is I will always have to work hard. I don't have children and I've made the decision not to but if I had a daughter I'd be gutted if this was her role and career model rather than a doctor, lawyer, or hell even a politician (though they've let the side down a fair bit lately - Liz I'm looking at you).

This isn't a rant about Molly-Mae specifically by the way just using a good example from today. It's the whole culture that seems to be everywhere and I genuinely cannot wait for the bubble to burst - I'm just not sure when/if it will...

Thank you for coming to my TED talk 😂wow felt good to get that off my chest!

Nah if you saw the sort of exploitation going on. I’m an ex model, companies have always tried to exploit models by trying to get models to work for them for ‘free’ in exchange for ‘exposure’ and “we will pay you in pictures for your portfolio”! Now they’ve found a new way to do it by approaching influencers and advertising for content creators so they don’t have to pay a photographer, model, videographer.

Nobody is holding a company at gun point to hand over a freebie, they choose to do it! The reason they are making a loss is because they approach so many influencers offering freebies here, there and everywhere in order to try and grow their business. It backfires! I have no sympathy for either the company or the influencers

LOL

Ok You are an ex model, there’s no relevance there.

I work in an industry that uses influencers. I have friends who are influencers and know many more.

I also own a small business. It’s an issue. You can pretend it’s not because businesses used exploit models.

influencer's have moved past just getting items for free. The ones doing it for a freebie are very small. Not well known, trying to get a foot in the door. Or massively behind in the way more successful influencers work.

As I said earlier, I have been approached by small companies who have WANTED to send me freebies in return for content! I said NO, go and ask an influencer because I’m not daft enough to work for free!

It’s mainly the small influencers and small companies I’m talking about! And tbh I really do not care who is blagging free gifts and who is handing out freebies willy nilly! If companies are stupid enough to hand over the products then that’s their problem! I just sit back and laugh at both sides!

And businesses DO exploit models!

I think both can be true. And probably because of the proliferation of people calling themselves 'influencers' So the very few who have the followers and time curating their images for free stuff maybe get taken advantage of by large companies using them as @littlebopeepp234 said, but there have been well publicised cases of small businesses being bombarded with requests from influencers for free stuff for content, that costs a small business a fortune for some crappy pictures and no return. Why can't these people buy their own cake and publicise the business if they like it? Hopefully the adverse publicity and calling out by small businesses will empower other small businesses to refuse.

I always wonder who are the idiots who buy things that influencers advertise. They all sell the items after so surely no one believes they like the products

Hopefully they'll all get bored of it soon 🤞
Although then some other inane rich people crap will capture everyone's attention I presume... such is life OP 🤷🏻‍♀️

I don’t understand how she has so much disposable income. She’s taken a private jet to Courchevel and hired a chalet for 10 people with caters and Nannie’s which cost 80,000 euros !!!!

Is Carrie Johnson's instagram a parody account? It is a hilarious account which feels like it is shamelessly grifting freebies at a moment when her husband has inflicted untold damage on the country.
She must be employing a full time caretaker to delete any negativity as it is such a happy, jolly, congratulatory place where all is bright and sunny ..... and nothing is ever , ever paid for.