Instagram ‘models’/‘influencers’ - is it just me?

[OneLeafHill]

I only follow a few of these types on insta (and not sure why I do really!!!) - mostly from when I used to watch Made in Chelsea etc years ago so I’ve got Binky Felstea and co.

These people have all become ‘models’ of some sort via Instagram, even though they weren’t models before appearing on a reality show. Their lives now seem to just be endless posts where they are either showing off something they’ve been ‘gifted’ by a company, taking photos of themselves looking as thin as possible and the frequent #ad ‘I just can’t live without this Nivea deodorant!’

AIBU to think there’s something slightly depressing about it? I know in some ways It seems like an ideal way to make money - literally just take a few glamorous photos, keep yourself really thin and get sent loads of free stuff. But how much pressure must these people be under? If they gain weight they’re stuffed really. If Instagram suddenly died, they’d also be stuffed. Their fame is based on, what, being nice looking but not much else? They aren’t actors or musicians or supermodels.

Don’t get me started on once they have a baby and suddenly all the content is about their child and motherhood! I find that quite sad for the child.

I just find the whole concept quite strange and sad - how have we ended up in a place where so many of these people make money based on posting inane photos/vids of their lives? Where will it end?

@DurhamDurham you say that but I think a lot of mums are probably fascinated by these ‘yummy mummy’ bloggers even if they don’t admit it!

As soon as I see it's a #ad post, I move on. I would never buy something because a celebrity was being paid to pretend they use this product everyday. Reading their fake enthusiasm for the brand is as awkward as watching QVC

I’m not sure if we’re allowed to say names here but the actress @Isthisnothing is referring to makes me feel so sad aside from Instagram with the awful cheating husband who she stays with time and again while she’s very much a celebrity in her own right and could do very well without him, particularly after I’m a celeb

my cousin is an insta model - she got Paid £3000 for a shoot. Just wearing clothes and taking pictures... she got £3000 -_- in 1 day!!! Why wouldnt she????

Another brand asked her to be ambassador for the company and in return she would get free brand holidays and £2000 a month and loads of freebies in exchange for just wearing there clothes and mentioning them sometimes.

Sooo even if insta went down, she would have other avenues open up but also would have more savings thatn if she had been working an average job for all of those years.

Because the new norm is social media and it’s genuine value is becoming lost as people try and escape real life more.

I think the internet has actually made people a bit dimmer, because now people do not have to wonder. They have the instant answer, no more thinking, pondering, discussion. It stops strings of thoughts and questions.

I was there at the very start of the internet becoming a thing, DH was a young student at Cambridge and had email before most of the world. I remember teaching students how to search databases in the academic library I was running. It was truly amazing at the time. For all the good it’s done there is more negativity really.

@TheGirlWithAPrince that’s amazing.... I mean maybe I am just jealous really

"Influencers" - just another bi-product of people wanting to be famous for the sake of being famous. I don't use Instagram for this very reason. It's tragic.

I don't really understand the appeal of influencers. Must be my age. The only famous people I follow on Instagram are footballers and the odd musician.

DD works full time in a job she loves but gets paid shit money. No chance of earning any more.
She posts a few photos on instagram and doesn’t get paid but gets sent free stuff, mainly clothes/makeup as she is very attractive.
It means she very rarely has to buy any clothes (the firms let her choose what she wants) and anything she’s not that keen on she sells on eBay.
It’s a win-win, the company gets a free model/photographer/advertising for relatively low cost and she get free stuff worth about £5k per year.
It’s just like another part time job to her and as she is interested in fashion/ beauty more fun than say a bar job.

Who wants to be a follower?
Who wants to knowingly be influenced by a n other?

Be a leader. Plot your own course. Don't be a sheeple people.

Maybe it's an age thing, I'm in my 30s. I have to admit if Kate Moss had an account where she posted about her friends, holidays, work etc I'd probably be interested as that is a very different world. I don't think the vast % of the population have particularly interesting lives.

@Pantsupyourbum Oh yes, I should have guessed.

I think for people like her (a celebrity in her own right) it can be seen as a no brainer to take up that influencer kind if "work". She most likely has an agent and would get paid the higher end for promoting products. She has two small girls to look after so it would be easy money that doesn't encroach too much on her spending time with her girls. And, of course, the aim of the game with influencers is to keep posting content in order to stay relevant, so alot of the posts will be fluff.

Yes Jacqueline Jossa or whatever her name is.

To the people saying - just unfollow simple: the OP is looking for a conversation about it.

And actually I do see the harm. I think the world is becoming increasingly weird, fake, voyeuristic and joyless. I feel sorry for the generations growing up now. We had so much fun as a teenager in the 90's - pure hedonistic fun. Life looks so depressing now.

Ultimately it is harmful I think. Have a major clear-out and un-follow!

I don't want to be influenced either. But I do enjoy following about 10 people - mainly health and DIY related - who all post interesting well-researched content and their inspiring pictures are part of that for me.

So take the best of it but ignore the 99.9% dross!

It's the society of the spectacle. The more people who are looking at you, the more people you can potentially advertise to. Capitalism 101.

These “models” just post advertisement after advertisement. Products are gifted or they’re paid to advertise, not always declaring that a post is sponsored (or it’s a tiny hidden hashtag). The “mummy bloggers” on Insta and YouTube are the worst. Using their children for profit.

I’m not sure why people follow them.

Because it's easy money. But there's a price - permanently put yourself onto the public domain and no longer have true privacy. Besides the amount of abuse and judgement that they get online makes me think it's pretty grim.

@Valkadin

Because the new norm is social media and it’s genuine value is becoming lost as people try and escape real life more.

I think the internet has actually made people a bit dimmer, because now people do not have to wonder. They have the instant answer, no more thinking, pondering, discussion. It stops strings of thoughts and questions.

I was there at the very start of the internet becoming a thing, DH was a young student at Cambridge and had email before most of the world. I remember teaching students how to search databases in the academic library I was running. It was truly amazing at the time. For all the good it’s done there is more negativity really.

It's actually heightened my critical thinking skills in a way my education, friends, books etc never did. Reading all the viewpoints on mumsnet for instance has made me think far deeper about lots of issues and given me insights that I've never considered before.

What I find most depressing is the sheer amount of stuff people tend to show as having 'just bought'. I know one 'influencer' in real life and I'm fairly certain she lies about what she has 'just ordered' as it amounts to £5k+ a week.

I really don't like accounts that center around children. Instagram needs to provide a function to let people know if their pictures are being posted across other accounts as there are some very, very creepy ones.

I do love a renovation account, but wouldn't check in regularly - just on the weekends really.

I have to wonder how these people will cope when they age/their face no longer fits and they get replaced by the next generation of bright young things?

I think you all need to get off Instagram it's a completely pointless thing

You follow them?😳🙄

Social media is a really cost effective way for brands to advertise. Adding a human element to it, with people that you ‘look up to’ or ‘aspire to be like’ adds an element that you don’t get in print ads. You can engage. Have conversations etc.

But it has created a very different landscape to when we just had MySpace and early Facebook and Twitter. Everyone has ended up wanting to be part of that side of things so the consumer-advertiser balance is skewing. And IG especially has changed to the point where paying to promote posts is the only way to get people seeing your post. I do fear it will implode soon - unless someone can come up with a new platform.