Instamums 3, 2.0

[blackmirror1]

Seeing as the original 3 got zapped.

@PavlovaPrincess It was asked on stories no less so poof the post disappears after 24 hours

Not RTFT and just dipped in and out of the other threads so apologies if I repeat anything, but I just wanted to add my thoughts.

I follow a few of the instamums and find the whole concept a bit disconcerting. You basically put your family out there (predominantly your kids) to try and gain an engaged audience of mostly other mums so you can start to flog them stuff. I mean that's at the heart of it isn't it? Of course they all say that the money and gifts are just a byproduct of doing something they love but they obviously have chosen to accept these gifts and monetise their accounts. The more aspirational you appear, the more likely brands will want to be associated with you so you work on posting the cute, perfect pictures laced with the odd funny story about poop or sleepless nights so your audience understand that you are oh so relatable. Of course the whole thing is a massive charade that's heavily edited but the trick is to make it look like it's raw and real so your audience don't cotton on.

I follow MOD and FOD and find them fascinating. They have really nailed the aspirational element with the perfect kids, house, job etc but like to focus on the relatable parenting stuff to not alienate their audience. I think this is a pretty heady combination for advertisers and parents alike but that's where the conflict comes. Having free holidays and advertising deals for cereal isn't relatable at all and it jars with their other content. If they disclose it's an ad then it's obvious that they are not an ordinary family documenting their life but in fact a brand used to endorse another brand. If they don't disclose properly and their audience find out then their authenticity is quite rightly brought into question.

Basically I think they can't win and neither can the other instamums because of the conflict of interests that arise from monetising something that is meant to be honest and real. As soon as money comes into the mix it taints everything and ultimately funds a lifestyle that isn't relatable anymore.

@bumpitybumper so eloquently put. But people still don't get it. I'm tired of the I don't care about the gifts and ads. Learn the rules people! There are very important reasons advertising in most media is tightly controlled. TV, radio, magazine's, billboards. Its to protect the consumer from being misled.

I follow Danielle parry (old enough to be her mum) not started advertising yet....looked at mod not even going to bother to follow her life is way to Disney.

Yes when money is put into the mix it definitely taints the opinion even when they truly like a product.

Yes the guidelines and rules are there but no one has been penalised for not following it so they continue to do as they like.

Stella I think those rushing to defend these instamums are probably those who have been taken in the most. They feel like they have a personal connection with these influencers so are reacting to this criticism as if they were a friend and not simply part of an audience to be marketed to. It's sad really as I do agree with PP that by default the instamums are targeting the vulnerable new mums who don't have much of a network around them and are isolated by motherhood. The last thing these people need is a heavily edited version of reality peddled to them with concealed advertising and promotion.

mammyoftwo I am pretty sure that Katie is from a background where there is some family money. Her dad owns a business and she works for him,
also they currently live with her dad and have lived in various rental properties owned by him in the past. Her mum's house is also huge!

Katie always seems to have plenty of money for hauls, holidays and nice things. She is definitely not poor I'd say.

I really can't stomach fod and his word salads. Makes me cringe.

Snap PrivatePike, glad it's not just me!

On the other hand I really like unmumsymum and brummymummyof2. I don't feel like they filter their content as much so it feels more genuine. They don't do many/any ads either.

You know, the MOMENT I saw MOD away to St Lucia I was waiting for Instamums Pt 3.

MN you deliver again.

I have nothing to add that @bumpitybump didn't put so eloquently

FOD's bizarre simile explosions are something else, I find his account so a mix. I want to unfollow but I can't quite, he is annoying. Watching him develop over his instaboom has been interesting. At one point he was going to vlog another he did tips for Dads. I'm not keen on his responses to any questions. And I'm finding the more he stories those children the less responsible and careful he is being. His and MOD's accounts are very different and aside from her getting upset about 'wanker' they don't seem to be coming from the same place or a cringe 'team' it's 2 very separate accounts under the same business.

Privatepike I liked Courtney in London, I have followed since but definitely finding it all unrelatable. I remember reading on the other thread how inordinately wealthy her family are and how the surname is Adams but they changed it to Adamo and to be honest realised that it was another fairy story. She's not clear on her gifts and seems to be friends with so many businesses that you have no idea what's going on.

I also personally find FOD extremely annoying (am I allowed to express this?).

There was worse said about him on the last thread. He even did a little cringe-inducing instastory about what was said and how much he really didn't care he so totally cared about it #notawanker

New to MN so please be kind! But I have loved reading these threads since the first one. So refreshing as for so long I thought I was the only one thinking these types of things!

Just wanted to say I have followed Danielle Parry for ages, including her old account. And I remember her saying in a post that Johnson's had offered her to advertise top to toe wash, but she had declined because Aldi's is cheaper and is the one she actually uses. From what I can see from her profile not much has changed #ad wise.

pjandme

I used to follow Danielle too and I remember that post about Johnson's and thought that's really great, she could be selling her soul to Satan if she wanted to but she didn't.

However, she lost me when she began slating and generalising middle class people after she had had a drink, it wasn't just a bit of laugh she was offensive and I am not middle class. She could have reached such a huge amount of people, saying it like it is - like she used to but then she slagged off such a huge amount of people for absolutely no reason just for shits and giggles. She is also guilty of putting her child out there for us all to see.

Just unfollowed Courtney Adamo her latest surfing nonsense just pushed me over the edge.

Am I the only one who gets they vibe they are an unhappy couple deep down?

Sorry if this gets the whole thread closed down

What will all these InstaMums do when their kids grow up, are no longer all cute and don’t want to be plastered all over social media by their parents?

Goldmonday absolutely agree but not allowed to say.

I like Brummymummyof2 too.

I also like Mrs Meldrum, although I do find the lifestyle that she leads with her husband effectively being a SAHD and so much gifted stuff a bit unrelatable. I guess she's a good example of someone that started off living the kind of life most people could relate to but then the money gained through becoming an instamum has elevated her standard of life far beyond what most could afford. I also get frustrated when she's moans about how being on YouTube takes up so much time which she could be spending with their family. That would be like most jobs then I think it's an oddity of this kind of career (if you can call it that) where people believe they should earn a large passive income just for being themselves.

@juddyrockingcloggs

Hm, I can see what you're saying. I remember the type of posts and stories you're talking about and I understand how they could be perceived as offensive. I know you said she could reach so many people etc but I'm not really sure from her account that she wants to use it for something like that? As she didn't seem hugely fussed about clawing back the followers she lost from her old account to boost her to the same big numbers (they all just found her and refollowed) plus she's mentioned quite a few times that she just wants an easy life re-training in hairdressing and raising a happy little man.
As for the comment about all the photos of her son, I mean...at least they're sweet and seemingly very natural / candid photos of their day to day, and not him draped in some new threads trying to entice us to buy them too. Where she has been gifted stuff for him (I think from some vintage brands) it's always been stated from what I can remember.
Each to their own though!