Instamums 3, 2.0

[blackmirror1]

Seeing as the original 3 got zapped.

But Mod (who seems to be the main instamum here) is being transparent and since that last thread she has done a 180. But there’s still the constant dig here and dig there. I’m sure the timing of her recent trip is no coincidence that this thread has blown up again.

I would 100% go on any free holiday I was offered for a few posts on insta. None of this will last forever and I’m sure lots of these women are (hopefully) seeing it for the benefits now but know it will start to filter out. The fact that MP took a break after the Hello thing is a clear example.

The discussion will end when every gifted item is clearly shown as ad. And every paid endorsement is declared.

I'll be happy when mod clearly states all her gifted items with ad.

I was really surprised by people saying they'd dmed these folk. I can't think of anyone I would be less likely to contact. They are not your friends! (Unless they are, obviously).

I find this a slightly odd thing to say as we are all sat here chatting online and aren’t friends.

Festive but I'm not sending you a private message.

fruit no but what’s the difference really? It’s just another form of communication.

Let me get this straight, if a brand small or big sends a blogger something and asks for a post in return the blogger has to declare it an ad? But if they send something with no obligation to post and and blogger happens to wear the shoes or dress in a post then they don’t have to say anything? So how do you know when it’s an ad or a gift? And when does a gift become an ad? And are these ASA rules or something these threads are asking for? It’s a mine field

Festive

One is a direct message & the other is many people talking in an open forum.

Completely different.

allaboardtheallergybus I did a course on this a few years ago and am struggling to remember but I think either way, it has to be declared.

At the time the big issue was celebrities advertising products on social media without revealing it was an ad. I think there had just been a big fall out from a footballer advertising a snicker or something. I seem to remember Katie Price had done something too.

They are all ads, allergy. Calling it a gift is disingenuous because they aren't gifts at all. The brand always expects something in return from the blogger even if it is not explicitly stated.

Allergy. Here you go. Mod has not done a '180'!

www.asa.org.uk/news/online-influencers-is-it-an-ad.html

I would 100% go on any free holiday I was offered for a few posts on insta
I guess the holiday isn't really free then as the advertiser is paying for your holiday in return for you marketing the holiday to your audience. Essentially you are using your audience as the commodity to exchange for your break in the sun. Is it that surprising that some of that audience who feel like friends would feel a bit betrayed that they have effectively been sold? I agree that if they are that bothered then they can always unsubscribe but it would be super naive to expect no backlash from this kind of thing.

Why are we talking about MOD again? Allergy you say you don't want to talk about her and we were actually discussing something else entirely and yet here we are again...

Firstly people direct message on here as well wish. That’s why the feature is there as, presumably, people use it.

Second, there’s a lot of nasty criticism online - not everyone is confident enough to post publicly if they have a question.

Thirdly, if you have something of relevance to say to someone or a question to ask, would you not consider DMing them if it was a side issue to the main topic? I know I would.

I was attending an event that someone was hosting who I didn’t know so DMd them to ask a question about the location. Surely that’s not that odd.

‘They arent hurting anyone’

Well that remains to be seen doesn’t it, no one knows how the insta kids will grow up to feel as adults about the over exposure they endured for some money from Dorset cereal. Or when suddenly hundreds of people aren’t interested in their life, food they eat, clothes they wear and how that may affect their self worth.

Also, there has been women admitted on here, it’s made them feel inferior seeing these instamums (highly edited) life’s and the things they own, wear, places they go because actually they just didn’t put AD on things that were gifted. Which by the way should be put on anything you were given for free not just what you were paid for.

The fact that, as a business, a lot of you apparently haven’t even read the ASA rules on that shows perhaps it’s time to be a bit more professional and adhere to the rules of advertising which apply to you.

It's really simple allergy not a 'minefield' at all. A child could follow the ASA rules.

I feel a bit like people new to this thread should probably seek out and read the previous threads to familiarise themselves with the main discussion points being raised here. But to try and summarise:

Some have issues with people posting images of their children for financial gain.

Some have issues with the fact that influencers are sent free products, which they tag on their posts (therefore advertising them) but don't declare them as #ads.

Some feel that the amount of commercialism in feeds, and luxury products being advertised by influencers, is actually having a detrimental effect on followers.

Some have issues with the fact that many influencers seem to be mainly white, wealthy women.

MOD can take all holidays she likes as long as she’s transparent if it’s a gift/paid to advertisement. Though I don’t think she’s doing her current holiday destination any favours. The resorts don’t look at all appealing and I don’t thinks she’s shown us anything about the rooms, pools, beaches, restaurants, etc, she’s made it look quite grim.

But I do think herself and MOD should be a little more responsible with the wording that accompanies their holiday adverts.

Their recent posts re their overnight stay in a London hotel were full of we’re having a night away to remind ourselves why we fell in love - everyone should do the same - forgetting that not everyone can afford a night away, possibly making people feel, oh if only I could have a night away, my relationship might improve. Etc.

The same with FOD - along the lines of every dad should stay home with their kids for a week while mum takes a break. Totally disregarding that many can only afford a family holiday once a year or not at all and the reason they can do all this is because of their freebies/gifts/adverts.

Let’s not obsess over mod. I think there may be an agenda as whenever we aren’t even discussing her someone comes on and brings it back to her again.

I think kitkat is someone who has lots of boys. And has missed the point a bit.

Interesting to see Featheringtheempty_nest and Martha’s happilyeverafter on stories today clarifying their use of #ad/gifted etc. Perhaps the message about transparency is starting to get through, albeit slowly.

And kitkat, if you are who I think you are, you do a decent job of the mix of ad and content and are very open about it. I still follow you but have given up on a lot of the others because the ads are too much/not authentic/too forced.

I may have it totally wrong, of course!

Festive - I'm just pointing out that they are different forms of communication. I'm not saying that people shouldn't use them.

I may be new to this thread but not to the argument of 'transparency'. I was on the original thread calling out a blogger/insta person for not declaring a holiday. They came onto the thread to address the issues.

Anyway, the new Insta threads got very derailed, but I'm still hoping for more transparency around the 'gift' issue.