Continuing the discussion around instagram influencers and ethics

[bawbles]

Continued from old thread

One thing I don't fully understand is when they should/can use the Paid Partnership feature and when they should/have to use the #ad hashtag?

bored who is the IG person called Gemma?

Hi, I really struggle to understand what ought to be #ad. What are the clues? As an example, @daddy_freckle has himself and his wife in Vans footwear today and Vans is tagged. Does this suggest it needs to be #ad?!

Only if they are being compensated for promoting the brand (either in cash or freebies). If they are just showing off their vans, no.

No I think it's to gain vans attention so they might all get sent the latest edition ... new ones for all the family

Ok. Thank you. How do we know when influencers are being paid; if they don't want to be seen as wall-to-wall advertising accounts (knowing this risks followers leaving), would they not just promote the Vans and say nothing? Still

@Spagbolfortea44

You don’t always know which is why people often ask. Sadly this can result in them being blocked, namecalled or accused of being a troll.

Generally some influencers are great at disclosing. Mother Pukka will put hashtags on her stories to clarify any #gifts that brands sent her or have ‘paid partnership with’ above the photo and hashtag #ad

Others just don’t. If they are sharing a personalised discount code there’s usually a commission being paid and this should be declared.

The reality tv lot are awful for not disclosing this stuff with ‘stars’ like Mario Falcone plugging diet pills, watches, outfits etc and never any clue that he’s being paid or gifted stuff to promote them. If you ask in the comments it just gets deleted which stinks in my opinion.

Mostly the only way to check is to report to the ASA so they investigate the post with the influencer. There’s been a lot of posts on mumsnet calling out particular influencers for shady business practices which although caused a furore (some of the comments got very personal) it did have an impact and opened up the discussion that there people should be accountable for their posts and working within the legal guidelines.

@Bawbles thank you for the very useful information. I am not brave enough to ask whether the Vans post is paid/gifted.

I’m getting so fucked off with all of this bollocks. It’s pathetic that if you question anything on instagram you get blocked. I was tempted to comment on mr meldrums page but instead I unfollowed. That holiday looked well worth missing school for! They didn’t even spend any time with their parents. #makingmemories #mamaneedsabreak

I actually think the Meldrums were paid to advertise the Kids Club..I can't think of any other reason why you would put a 6 month in a kids club with a stranger. The kids club costs 300 pounds a week....gift perhaps?

I don’t follow the meldrums. Have they tagged any of it as ad/spon/gift?

@jammycustard Gemma is mutha.hood-I think?!

Thanks! I was curious about hair surgery.

@jammycustard she recently had something very painful done and only stories her face. Apparently she was offered a discount for #ad but chose not too despite it being very expensive as she had saved and it was something very personal and important to her. She had the op a couple of weeks ago.

@bawbles I haven't seen an AD on any of the Meldrums holiday posts. And I've been looking carefully!

@theladylovescupcakes

I just took a look at her feed. There's nothing but positive on the comments. That holiday company are geo tagged in every post - if she's getting discount/freebies that is majorly unethical. Has anyone asked her if any part of it was comped?

Bawbles yes someone on here commented they asked and she blocked her.

However Mr M did say in the vlog he had paid the room bill. Although maybe they got a discount. She had been previously going on and on about neilson all the time the last couple of years as if trying to get a freebie.

Didn’t see anything #ad but it clearly was, they took over neilson holidays Instagram page too. I questioned if it was an ad and also about taking children out of school and was moaned at by fan girls for being mean and then blocked!

I would imagine you might feel you need a break from your children on holiday if you both don’t work (outside the home, that is to say: and frankly I don’t consider the editing and other stuff associated with being an influencer anything like as demanding a job as most that the people I know work), so essentially all day everyday is spent with at least some of your children at home going out to activities and outings to advertise things etc. I never feel the need to have my child in kids club when I’m on holiday with him because our time together as a family is limited. I do find the six weeks over the summer holiday wears a bit thin (teacher).

I can’t imagibe leaving mine with a stranger or going on a family holiday, taking children out of school and then putting them in kids club.

Me neither, Going. Lots of reasons why I wouldn’t put a young child in kids club anyway (personally), and my husband and I genuinely have always wanted to spend all our time away with our child. I think the life of an influencer probably leads to a different experience of life and holidays!

Or as PPs have said, if there’s some undisclosed advertising, perhaps there’s a requirement to use the kids club and allow adults to show all the water sports and tennis they can do. But we’ll never know if people don’t disclose what is an ad and what is their own money/choice.

I don't get how you can justify your third term time holiday as educational and the head being in agreement when your kids spend most of their time in a kids club or pool. Am glad I'm in the majority of posters that go on holiday to enjoy being with my kids, despite that I spend most of my time with them. We only ever used a kids club on one occasion, on the mistaken idea it would be beneficial to the children. It wasn't, it was like an after school club, fine if it's necessary but not particularly fun or a holiday.

perhaps Mr M was paying the room service bill, rather than the stay?

@boredandtired

I go on holiday to enjoy being with my kids too.
And my kids have sometimes enjoyed going to the kids club when on holiday, because we’ve stayed in places with some awesome ones with pools and lots of kids to play with.
And while they’ve been in the holiday club for an hour or two, I’ve enjoyed reading on a sun lounger, scuba diving or having an afternoon shag with their father.
win win Win WiN WIN