Bloggers and Brands 3

[CookingUpAStormTonight]

New thread I hope.

"Surely anyone only ever buys something because they like or need it and can afford it."

^ Do you really believe this in today's consumerist society? Personally I only buy things I can afford but I'm lucky to be financially stable. Some things I buy because I need them, many things I buy just because I want them.

The problem with IG where so many things are gifted is that it creates a false message as to an item's worth. Say a blogger does a "February favourites" video showcasing items they haven't paid for, including a £200 cashmere jumper. I can accept they might like said jumper, but would they have spent their own hard earned money on that particular jumper if it hadn't been a gift? More likely they'd have bought a cheaper version, or made done with one they already had, or, if they really though it was worth it, saved up or cut back elsewhere.

By not disclosing that they've received it for free they're giving viewers the impression that the item is worth spending the budget they have on it, whereas the bloggers' own budgets are not limited by the same constraints as they're being sent all sorts for free.

I would hope most grown adults are sensible enough to see through IG but I do worry about the influence it has on children. They receive the message that it is desirable to have lots of things whereas the bloggers who are spreading such messages don't have to pay for any of it and, in some cases, are then selling gifted items on to generate income.

So in a nutshell it does indeed matter to many whether things are gifted or not.

Also some of the time they are just try on sessions where they purchase nothing, but they add the swipe up to affiliate links, in shops that offer 8% commission. These aren’t things they are parting with their own money for, but they are hoping you will, as it benefits them financially.

What I was trying to say is that for me personally, seeing a blogger I like wearing and saying how amazing something is will only persuade me to buy that item if I actually like it, need it, want it etc. If said item costs more than I can afford or would want to spend then I won't buy it.

With household items such as washing machines there is no way I would go ahead and buy one (even if I needed a new one) purely based on it being advertised (with or without a #ad) on someone's Insta account.

I'm not naive at all, I fully understand how Instagram works and don't mind either way if MOD or whoever discloses if an item is gifted or is a sponsored post. Mainly I think good for them turning something they were doing anyway into a profitable business.

Why would I care if, for example, a Zara skirt that I see someone try on, love and decide to buy (by swiping through their link) earns them commission? I'd possibly only have seen it because of their Insta post (hence why I follow bloggers whose style I like).

I've seen posts on here with people saying even if they like an item they see on insta that they refuse to do the swipe up just so the insta poster won't earn commission, I find that ridiculous! Or posts saying you refuse to buy Jo Malone products anymore as bloggers get gifted it too much. Who cares?! I have some Jo Malone perfumes that I love, I'm not going to stop buying it just because someone else gets if for free. I also wouldn't buy a fragrance just because I see it on Insta.

"What I was trying to say is that for me personally, seeing a blogger I like wearing and saying how amazing something is will only persuade me to buy that item if I actually like it, need it, want it etc."

But you wouldn't see the item (many of them) on the blogger in the first place if it wasn't provided for free or in exchange for payment, therefore the intention of the blogger saying something is amazing is because they are actively and intentionally selling to you. You may think you are exercising free will and self control in your purchasing choices, but you are being advertised and sold to for the sole purpose of making a brand money.

As a consumer you need to know this. Just like you can spot an ad in a magazine or on TV. Not that the blogger is doing it in the first place, no-one is saying they stop and go back to just wearing their own bought and paid for outfits. Just tell us when they are not. That transparency is the crux of this and the other threads.

SofiaLemon that works for you that's great.

Others may care.

Others may be getting into financial difficulty making purchases under the impression it's normal to spent £££ on clothes every month.

Younger internet users may not realise they are being sold to. A quick Google will show any number of reports concerning mental health and social media. Have a read of that New Stateman article posted above.

At best it's disingenuous, at worst very very scary.

Or posts saying you refuse to buy Jo Malone products anymore as bloggers get gifted it too much. Who cares?!

I care. As someone pointed out upthread, JM (and other names) don't do sales and they don't do money off vouchers for loyal customers, yet they are giving away literally thousands of pounds worth of stuff to bloggers for free.

And as for saying who cares? Well, quite of few of us actually, as evidenced by these threads and the comments under Mod's cereal posts. If you don't, that's fine but a lot of us do for the reasons given in the posts above this one.

If a blogger I'd followed for a while because I like their style started constantly trying on clothes not her style that she'd really not wear I'd unfollow them.

For example a blogger who wears primarily a mix of Zara, H&M, Topshop type high street mixed with designer is suddenly trying on in Laura Ashley and Joules I'd feel she'd sold out and she would no longer be showing stuff I'd like to buy.

I have no issue at all with bloggers showing high end bags etc that as much as I might love can definitely not afford. Whether they've been gifted them or not would make no difference to me.

I used to follow Laura Fantacci's Wearing it Today blog. No way could I afford 80% of the things on there, and she was most likely gifted a huge amount of it. I just liked the styling ideas and would buy a high street version.

Why not disclose? Keeps people who care about transparency happy and people that don't care will remain happy too. I don't understand the reluctance tbh.

I don't use the swipe up links as a point of principle if it's someone that doesn't disclose. Its my personal choice based on my feelings about their business ethics.

Mynewhobby re this -

Others may be getting into financial difficulty making purchases under the impression it's normal to spent £££ on clothes every month.

Many people spend way beyond their means with or without instagram. Many of the bloggers I follow are very obviously wealthier than myself, even without the money they must make from instagram, I'd have to be an idiot to think I could spend the amounts they do.

I refuse to let my 11 year old daughter use instagram, not because I'm concerned she will want or expect to spend a fortune on clothes due to following fashion bloggers. I'm far more concerned with the women who post massively photoshopped pictures of themselves looking super skinny and beautiful. I've explained to my daughter that instagram in general is not a true reflection of anything. Surely adults know that.

Some adults know it, some don't. Again, why just disclose so that everyone is clear about what is a marketing communication and what's not.

Rules around transparency in advertising aren't new. It's not like a group of mumsnetters invented the concept.

Rules around transparency in advertising aren't new. It's not like a group of mumsnetters invented the concept.

^^This.

Also my objection to brands gifting loads to 'influencers' is that it often devalues the brand. Bulgari did it with their handbags. If I am spending £££ on a luxury product it needs to feel like it is is a luxury and isn't going to end up on their ebay account a few weeks later.

Rules around transparency in advertising aren't new. It's not like a group of mumsnetters invented the concept.

Exactly. Because it is advertising. SofiaLemon these people are not your friends, they are business people using the fact they are women and mothers "just like you" to sell you stuff. It's just their USP.

Personally I think feeling compelled to "spend a fortune on clothes" is just as damaging to children as making them think they have to be skinny or a certain type of beautiful etc.. It's all part of the fake, superficial ,competitive, consumer society in which we seem to live and it's all wrong.

On a slight tangent, I can't stand the phrases "worn to death" literally lived in these" "obsessed with" "wearing on repeat"...etc ....no you don't, you wear them a couple of times and we never see them again! We can look back on your feeds you know, assuming of course, your feed is truly representative of your daily outfits, and not something, you know, you threw on just for a photo....(hmm)

I'll be honest, I don't know what the ASA guidelines are re ads on instagram or other social media sites. I think influencers are supposed to use #ad or state if a post is sponsored but have no idea if this is a legal requirement or not.

What I dislike about these blogger threads isn't the fact posters are asking for greater transparency but the slating of various bloggers, if you don't like them don't follow them.

I care when luxury brands give presents to every blogger and their dog. It cheapens the brand while simultaneously making me think I'm paying for all this who I buy their stuff.

So I stop buying it.

when I buy

SofiaLemon are you sure you've thread all these threads? Genuine question, really, because your last post re ASA guidelines and the whole "don't like don't follow" debate from blogger and MNetter side has been discussed to death many many times....

megansmandstop why on earth would I think bloggers are my friends? I'm not an idiot, I'm fully aware that numerous bloggers run their instagram accounts as part of their business. There are hundreds of fashion bloggers, I choose to follow certain ones whose style I like, same with interiors. I will also admit to following various members of Made in Chelsea, for no other reason than either seeing them in tiny shorts (James Dunmore) or I find them funny (Sam). Most of their posts are ads (disclosed or not). They also lead lives far removed from mine, they're on constant holidays, that doesn't mean I think I should be able to do the same.

I'm not worried about my daughter thinking she should be able to have designer bags etc as she has been brought up to know you have to work hard to earn money to be able to buy things you like.

I haven't read every post, there's too many!

I think you are missing the point of this thread SofiaLemon.

I'm not missing the point at all, I just don't agree with a lot of what has been said. I also can't get worked up about if someone has paid for something or not and hasn't disclosed it.

There are so many posts complaining about bloggers making nasty comments re these threads, yet there is so much bitching on here re various bloggers that I'm not surprised the bloggers are retaliating.

@sofialemon. A blogger buys a dress from XX brand, showcases it on IG, mentions it’s a little see through, but fine for the cost or whatever. Or the blogger has a clip showing the dress, mentions quality isn’t great, odd sizing or whatever so they won’t buy it.

Imagine same blogger being gifted the same dress from same brand and showcases it on IG but because it’s a gift and they like the style of dress and they’d quite like more gifts from the same brand, talks about what a fab dress it is not mentioning the negatives. Doesn’t use the #gift tag. So someone reading might think, this sounds good, will purchase myself and dress arrives and it’s not so fab.

If the #ad had been used, then you’d know it’s an advert and like all adverts only the positive side is being shown.

It’s all about credibility and transparency. I can’t fathom why bloggers have an issue with using #gift. I’d love if some of them came on here to tell us why they won’t.

@sofialemon. You say you’re not surprised bloggers are retaliating but what do you think of bloggers who have posted here and have listened and acted on feedback from, us, their customers ?

Listen to your customers is a rule for anyone who wants to run a profitable business.

As I've said I only buy things I actually like, need or want so if I liked the look of the dress I'd order it, it wouldn't sway my decision if #ad had been used or not. If the dress was a brand I'd not heard of and so I wouldn't know my size or was unsure of the quality I'd be unlikely to order no matter what the blogger said.

I think it's nice that some bloggers have taken on board the comments made on here and are being more transparent but these bloggers have 30000 followers upwards so the posters on here are a very small minority of their "customers".

I think with the way social media is heading the sites themselves need to make changes, Maybe something like if an Instagram account is used as a business (The Frugality, The Body Coach, DMBL40, MOD for example) they should have to register the account as a business account and it is highlighted as such at the top of their page. Anyone browsing then knows straight away when they come across it that much of the content will be gifted, ads, sponsored even if not individually disclosed. No idea if that is workable though.