Ethics regarding Instamums and huns

[BurberryIsSo2000]

Homeisthecalm here, I think it's suitable to start a new ethics thread.

Since clearly, the one from yesterday isn't really about ethics but Clemmie.

Thanks all,

Keep it as nice or as stingy as you like

I'll start off by saying things should be clearly marked 'ad' or 'gifted'

Although the term gifted gives me the rage

@Wearelocal I'm on Twitter also, ta. But both platforms provide a different 'thing' for me. It's a boring assumption (though unfortunately quite common) that authors belong on Twitter and 'Mummy bloggers' belong on Instagram. Lots of people are trying to make money on some kind of SM platform, really, in some form or another.

I've been on Twitter for a good 10 years and can't see how people manage to sell on there. I very rarely see ads.

Sorry I didn't mean to offend, Time. I don't know anything about being a writer!

@kirinm eyes on my work. It translates into more money.

@wearelocal sorry! didn't mean to sound curt at all. I get your point. But sometimes people have that assumption: 'authors should probably be on Twitter, because Twitter doesn't sell stuff.'

All social media platforms can be used to make money, it's just in how you use it, that's all. If you don't want to use it to make money, then that's your personal choice. It also goes hand in hand with using social media to buy stuff. If you don't want to buy stuff or consider being influenced, you don't have to.

No, you're right Time, I did make an assumption - not because of advertising, but because I have always thought IG was less cerebral than Twitter.

What you say brings us back to the stealth advertising. When I was looking at a few accounts over the last couple of years, I didn't realise I was being sold to. It's pretty clear to me now, even if it still isn't always upfront. So I'm definitely making the choice myself now.

It's easier not to be influenced if you know someone is trying. If the ads are concealed you don't even know it's happening. I have a M&S dress I bought off the back of an IG post a few years ago. I was completely oblivious to the fact the IGer had a paid partnership with them at the time. It's a lovely dress but I like to know whether something is an ad or a genuine recommendation. Like many people I started off on IG just looking at pretty pictures and little snapshots of people's lives (or so I thought).

Ha! Cross post Wearelocal

That is the thing isn't it Lookie. They've been selling m&s to us for years without disclosing it! (Although it didn't save them clearly! Is there such a thing as advertising karma 😁)

Ahh yes thanks to Mutha.hood I know have Method products where ch are very nice and ethically sound. Although I'm pretty sure MOD advertised them at some point which was great as actually recycled plastic etc, but now they've gone over to persil so easily bought out 🙄.
My last child I felt I needed sleepyheads, bugaboos, round cots, stokke chairs which I hated before but were the in thing, and every other baby item promoted. Annoys me now it was all bloody gifted and to make me buy it.

Yes, karma indeed Although the stuff they try to sell to us on IG! So wrong. M&S need to ditch their PR team, bin some of the badly chosen bloggers and read the MN thread on how to save their business.

I suspect DLAM is building up to the multimac in her stories "we may need a new car!" It's like watching a badly written soap opera.

See @marksandspencerfashionpr 8th may post. A diverse crew, not. None of them are inspiring my fashion choices...

Can someone please explain to me the Mutha thing?

Why is it used so widely on IG? Why is it used for mental health issues?

It comes from motherfucker, from what I can see, so how does it relate to the usage in the examples above?

Hmm yes the buying team doesn't seem to fit the customer demographic...

I assumed 'mutha' was used when Mother, Mumma, Mama and Mummy were all taken already

Yeah I guess it's like a yoonique way of spelling to differentiate your brand and make it look a bit cool, sorry kool.

Is it supposed to indicate toughness?

There is another account I came across, I'm not naming names, but there the finger all over the photos.

Again, why? To show how tough the instamum is? Is that a requirement now?

I'm not their target audience, but I find it all off putting and certainly not appealing, for advertisement purposes.

I've not finished watching it all yet but this is useful viewing,

Any chance of a summary Nipersvest? I don't have 40 mins to give that girl.

I started watching it but 10 minutes in I hadn't learned anything new I didn't already know from reading these threads. It just made me feel even more like the big influencers are just marketing and branding businesses dressed up in a different cloth (literally). If anyone makes it to the end and there is anything new in there, please bullet point it!

I looked at her IG page (I don't follow her) and notice on the video she said she gets around 5 parcels a day and yet she doesn't disclose any stuff that is obviously gifted (I can not believe she buys all her clothes herself). I think the whole point of most of these threads is that consumers like MNetters dislike the fact that brands are circumventing the "rules" by gifting stuff which ends up on our feeds as undisclosed adverts - influencers giving the impression (by omission) that they buy all the stuff they wear themselves. Based on that observation, I don't think I am going to learn anything new I don't already know from ploughing through the rest of the 30 minutes of the video.

That's kinda what I thought after 5 mins, Lookie. I'm not going to her IG account. The meldrums were enough for me. I don't want to create anymore traffic for these guys.

The irony is that I now feel ok about just following brands and seeing the products I like - fashion stores in London, interiors, holidays. I never would have followed them on other SM

So I don’t need to be influenced by people, just keep it clear (which brands do, they’re advertising) and make the content nice and I’m seeing stuff to buy anyway

Yep I am the same, if an influencer is clear about the brand relationship I have more confidence in the brand and will generally happily follow them on IG. If the brand and the influencer engage in sneaky ads, I'm outta there...

I don’t even follow them if they are clear anymore, they just feel like the middle men / women to me

Initially it was all cloak and dagger to influence, now it’s obvious I just think they’re adding nothing - just extra noise

It has changed so quickly

Forget ethics. Immediate unfollow for anyone who mentions Love Island. Pink House Living was already on a warning for the alarming dress, as was Martha for the towels. Unfollowed