AIBU to think influencers should stop asking small businesses for freebies

[PigglyWiggle]

Binky Felstead of Made In Chelsea (hugely privileged, from generational wealth) has been exposed for asking a small independent bakery to create her sons third birthday cake in exchange for “exposure” by tagging the bakery on Instagram. These has also now prompted another woman to come forward who says Binky did the same to her with her 9 layer wedding cake and NEVER did the tagging/exposure. I feel like I really want this to start a bit of a movement of people calling this bollocks out and end this tiresome period of the “influencer” generation.

YABU - Leave her alone
YANBU - Expose them all, they are grabby desperados who need to get a job

It's absolutely disgusting. These people are very wealthy (mostly without any actual talent) and should be paying their bills AND giving business owners a shout out for their product. Why would you not if you're happy with your purchase / service?

Pricks!

If businesses all declined or never asked in the first place, you wouldn’t get this situation.

But it obviously works to use influencers and businesses can quickly (and cheaply - the cost of a free product), reach a very large audience. Binky has had so many freebies, she probably assumed they would all jump at the chance.

I think alot of people dont like it and wish it could go back to the ‘old way’ of just normal adverts but social media has completely changed advertising. When did you last read a magazine for example? Probably at least 6 months ago for me.

Influencers are part of advertising even if we hate that fact 😩 All we can do is collectively not follow them in the first place if we dont like it.

Dont follow at all - if we follow them, it’s part of the issue.

The only ones im happy to follow are the ones with a genuine talent (usually comedy) that actually bring enjoyment to the public.

Ex MIC do not fall into that category although some are at least using their platform for good causes.

They can say no.

Sam Faiers

I feel like I've read this and my first thought is that jot everything we read is true. Seconds is, if it is true, then the small businesses can say no. However, ultimately, I agree with you that it's poor if celebs and influencers do this when they could afford to just buy the product. What's stopping them paying and then advertising the business.

It's just incredibly cheeky. In am probably showing my age but Influencing isn't a proper job imo. It's not useful, it's not adding anything to society. I don't understand how this has even developed into a thing.

Likely story
Katherine kelly played the wide eyed innocent I didn't know card when she was exposed.
They know fine rightly

This is how social media marketing works though. We’ve had lots of people approach us for products in exchange for promotion. I don’t mean like someone from TOWIE, but people with an online presence in our industry. Sometimes we say yes, sometimes we say no. All our marketing is through social media and in fact, our biggest client, who I’d guess off the top of my head purchases close to £500k a year from us found us on Instagram. Sometimes people do tag you. Sometimes they don’t. It’s a risk you take. Our business is doing very well though, so no complaints.

YANBU

I think it's very crass when influencers, especially those of such wealth ask for freebies. Exposure, as they call it, does not pay for energy bills and fuel costs. And given that the 'team' in question had form with the previous baker it feels rather shameless that they reached out for another freebie!

The second baker they reached out to is well known for putting these requests on (humurous) blast on her IG and she's often approached for collabs as she caters for the higher end of the market. If they had even bothered to do a bit of research on her they would have known if it would be an immediate hard pass.

I think it's okay for people to call out this behaviour online (although inevitably there is a risk that it becomes a bit of a pile on...)

Influencers are just parasites
I despair that people see it as a valid ‘career’ option

They should all get to fuck. I hate that now when i google things to do anywhere, it's either influencers or Get Your Guide that come top. Bloody women in a hat and floaty frock swanning round only recommending things they got for free. And blocking the view in scenic places whilst they go for the perfect shot. Parasites

You are not being unreasonable with this case - but in general I think it’s fine but businesses should be ensuring they have the right paperwork in place, so there is legal recourse?

Michelle Freegan and Mark Tight are inveterate beggars. Always on the ponce.

Haven’t read the whole thread, but it wasn’t Binky who asked, it was someone who worked for her. Influencers can carry on asking for free stuff if the want, but it would be good if every single business agreed to tell them to piss off.

Disgraceful.

People should also stop following 'influencers' who are lazy unemployed grifters for the most part.

Isn't the same as celebrities not having to pay for the designer clothing they are wearing on the red carpet. It is advertising.

Love this

I guess it’s okay to ask and it’s okay to say no.

What I find disingenuous is that invariably the influencer or their 'team' will imply that it's a huge coup for the baker to have this amazing opportunity...but actually it rarely results in a surge of new customers because let's face it, these luxury cakes aren't £30 and not everyone can afford them.

It's not like when Stacy Solomon mentioned Stamptastic and their sales went through the roof for a year (admittedly that wasn't a collab and she just loved the product so wanted to share with her followers)

Yes and no. They don't get to keep those dresses /suits often and almost never keep the jewellery.

I don’t follow many, but a couple of “influencers” (that have a niche interest of mine) always put #ad or #gifted on posts/reels if they are talking about a product related to our hobby. I like that they are transparent that they have been given stuff to review.

They are clever. They have got much more publicity for calling her out and all this press then if they’d baked it for her, and less effort their part too!

Can’t you read? The celeb got the cake for free BUT didn’t give the credit to the bakery. So stole from them essentially. That is awful and deserves to be called out!

I don't see why that should be an unpopular opinion.