Instagrammers and Influencers

[scotx]

New thread to follow on from this one

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/style_and_beauty/3462129-Can-we-chat-about-fashion-Instagrammers-influencers?msgid=84590932

I agree clts sounded petulant. She always gets like this, or defensive, when challenged etc. I like her blog but I do think she comes across as spoilt and childish when anyone dares to rock the boat

The amount of stuff is grim. I’m so pleased some does make it to charity.

I’m glad the Mod post was changed but really the petulance and childishness of the comments is so silly. Hopefully that tone will change.

I see that MOD is posing in an outfit she bought herself which is good, but seems to be angling for new jeans which is bad

I was quite surprised at amrs hissy fit when I asked her why she hadn't #ad to the post.
According to cma if you have an on going business relationship with a company e.g. hair salon, then this has to clearly explained in every post.

I do like the way amr writes, she is funny and can spell,punctuate etc.
All I'd like is honesty. If it's free say so, if you're being paid admit it. Stop cherry picking what you will or will not admit is an advert/business relationship.
Yes. '# kindly gifted' or 'some things in this post are gifted' is a cop out.

There now appears to be two camps people like SV and EH following the rules and the other camp constantly whining and moaning. The latter, to my mind, are the ones who want to hide just how much free stuff they get and wish we'd all shut up and let them do as they please.

Just read ( the guardian ) that The Pool has gone into liquidation and staff have not been paid this year.
Seems these media platforms (who are really just selling stuff ) are coming to the end of the road.

Funnily enough Sali is plugging her hairdresser again no #ad in sight. I hope that means she pays full whack. I'm not saying she doesn't just I don't believe any of them now.

It’s really disappointing they are treating their followers this way. Be respectful of the people (followers) who enable you to do what you do and get what you get (a truck load of free goods and services).

Have caught up with this and your old thread just now.
I think finks' comparison to MLM is spot on. I had never considered that. Even down to the 'negative' comments. It all smacks of MLM. And now that instagam is so big there's fewer free, tax-free crumbs for the small man. I suppose the smaller accounts that make not so much money will have to make a decision they don't want to make - declare and pay the taxman or get out. I was going to delete Instagram but I can't yet because I'm enjoying the shit-storm.

I stopped following AMR ages ago, but I thought she would have been more savvy, given previous experience and her law background.

I agree with you all - the petulance and sulking over it all is incredibly off-putting.

This is such an illuminating thread and so glad the discussion is continuing. I thought I was pretty cynical but the sheer scale of gifts/ads etc has been an eye opener. Today I have seen plugs for Southwood Living (who I had previously never heard of) by 3 different influencers with no hint of #ad. Perhaps it's a total coincidence 🙄 - but anyone would think they had some kind of incentive offered to them. And it's always dressed up as my really really good friend [insert name] has opened a store/launched a product. Like those Miranda Dunn coats which clearly have ALL been gifted but are regularly worn with no mention of gift/ad.

Re smallsustainable steps - what a brave and spot on post. The fan-girling and gushing in comments has long made me want to hurl ("you look stunning gorgeous lady as always" ... "you're such a brilliant mum" when they don't even know these people. Even more annoying is them doing mutual shout-outs in their stories to each other. Its funny how they get cross about pesky things like rules but they take it all seriously enough to complain about losing followers or their 'reach' dipping on a certain day.

There was a great programme on R4 about consumers being hacked.

That we’re all ripe to manipulation, especially so with the personal closeness of digital.

The answer to not being hacked is to know yourself. I like it. It’s similar to that sustainable post.

There is also the element of MLM with people fawning because they want in on the gig.

My Ds (13) doesn’t bother with Instagram, the other two are too young but I’d definitely say to my dd don’t bother with it.

And lastly I really hope we are the first and last generation to trip overselves to give away people’s privacy for a freebie.

I hope so too Marsha. It seems there are more and more sneaky ways to market.

Just had a nose at AMR's response to the regulations. One step closer to deleting the app....

In MLM you really aren't allowed to query or question, if you do you are branded as being negative and unsupportive. They essentially just want mindless drones. It's bordering on cult like, and like cults they prey on people's insecurities and their desperate need to belong.

Enjoying this! Trawling through previous one now too.

I really like Charlotte OShea and her rock my... stuff. Anyone else?

I am also tiring of ED, I find it all the same. I get it, you like leopard print and stripes... (maybe because I'm not keen on either it grates more though tbf).

I also hate the invasion of privacy they actually allow in their own lives. We see their houses, we know their routine and with a quick search we know their real names and can easily find their addresses. Catnip to a burglar or nutter.

As they are all now part of management companies such as Gleam you would think they’d get better advice on how to handle all of this.
Agree with comments about the sheer volume of stuff they get. There really is little to no consideration to sustainability and affordability. It’s simply a selling tool and that’s fine if everyone is clear and open that that’s what’s happening. The entitled and smug attitude of some of them is really off putting. As is the resistance to even mild questioning or criticism.

See that MOD has removed the comments from her sideboard post. One of the posters had threatened to report the post to which she had replied with a thanks and she would be glad to await CMA guidance.
Don't know what it is about her that she really just can't handle any challenge without being bolshy.
In her next, hurried, distract attention, post someone has asked why she removed the comments and she said it was easier than dealing with them. Does she never learn!

@Templehead I think Hayley Southwood runs a women supporting women business collective type thing and seems to know a lot of the Instamums which makes me think it probably is ‘mates’ rather than anything else.

It’s cliquey but not against the rules. A lot of them promote their Insta friends businesses for what I would assume is a favour. If I had a following and a friend who needed a bit of promo I’d certainly do it myself (making clear to followers it was a mate so again probably a bit biased).

I actually really like Hayley Southwood who runs Southwood Stores (although I seem to have dumped her off my follow list for some reason). I remember when she first set up her online shop. She has championed small brands for years and I think she probably does have a really strong network of genuine friends on instagram who I wouldn't doubt would be happy to mention her for no reward. It looks like she has rebranded recently which is why there is a bit of a buzz about her at the moment. She's the kind of small brand that used to be the essence of Instagram and if she is having a tough time then I think that is probably because of the impact of having big businesses move into the space, like H&M home, Homesense, LaRedoute and other similar brands basically selling crappy mass made stuff that have gifted their way into our consciousness.

The Miranda Dunn coats do my head in though. I was gobsmacked to see Luludumas hadn't had hers gifted, but appears to have bought it herself.

I think there's a lot of cognitive dissonance with complaining if they label properly everything about them will look like an ad. Well yes that's cos everything about them IS an ad, and its suddenly become apparent. They have sold and monetised their lives, homes, even their kids. Gotta be hard to realise that you are a glorified saleswoman. Lot cooler to be an 'influencer' or 'taste maker'. Thus the pushback.

MOD's comments are back and her comments under the jeans post appear to have been "doctored", unless I am mistaken. All very strange!

@Underparmummy I actually quite like ED taste. I do moderate it for the real world but I’ve picked up some nice things I’ll hopefully have for years from her. She seems to re-wear more of her wardrobe than most of them as well (although clearly we will see a lot more #bought #old stuff now from a lot of the influencers).

Can see why she’s not to everybody’s taste though - that’s what I used to like about Instagram, you could find a real person with similar taste to you who had more time/experience to do the research for you. This illuminating experience has actually made me dump a whole load of people who I wasn’t entirely sure why I was following as I really didn’t feel their taste was for me.

still really enjoying these discussions highlighting good and bad practices by these influencers...

but I'm beginning to feel uncomfortable with the level of continued bashing of one influencer by the same poster who conveniently changes her name after every thread. I thought MN were going to be a little more vigilant of such behaviour.

Influencer brings to mind someone out there seeking out the new cool stuff and curating it for everyone else, when it's actually we can now see it's a bit more like the Wizard of Oz - sitting behind the curtain is someone rifling through their PO Box for whatever gifts that they can for the next grid post.

I've just spent a lot of time reading her jeans post (I actually need some new jeans my Next ones are so baggy and shapeless so it's quite usefull) she was asked by a poster @Maisiehill 'Also you now have to state when you bought something???' to which she replied 'it's easier than dealing with the comments I had on my previous post'

it's inaccurate comments such as yours @ThreeFourFive which create a bigger issue here. I've seen it happen on these threads time and time again and without the person being aware inaccurate statements are being made it seems a little unfair?

Completely agree with the whole downgrade from ‘influencer’ to sales / flogger. The rules make me happy, hats off to the people who instigated the whole thing.

Perhaps it was that webchat on mn ages ago that helped.