especially the dissonance between current world status vs. social media reality gets me everytime. I am not able to consume influencers anymore, brand trips, nonstop vacation, endless hauls etc. without getting severly angry...
i genuinely just scroll so fast bc it doesn't interest me - i stopped following influencers but that doesn't stop them popping up on my fyp, but i refuse to give stuff like this my attention
I really try not to get angry because getting emotional will just drive engagement if you comment or keep watching out of shock. As soon as some overconsumption BS pops up on my feed, or anything that smells of rage bait using the typical tricks like casual bigotry "for laughs" *I am pressing "Not Interested" so fast.*
very true, i put some time restrictions on instagram so i open it less because it made me feel so shit every time but still i was addicted to keep watching. i have been feeling much better.
I unfollowed every "influencer" a few years ago because it started to feel like I was just watching unskippable ads. Like the actual content itself was just ads. Why would I get ablock and pay for premium just to be marketing to in a different way? Honestly the Avon lady comparison is super accurate. Influencers are just sales people really.
@@katierobinson Realizing this made me realize why seniors probably like going for walks in the park. just enjoyin nature. No one tryin to sell you anything. Feed the ducks. They don't try to sell you anything (except the idea that they deserve to be fed lol). I think the world would be better if we all spent more time in nature. You realize, as you stare at the trees or the birds or just listen to the wind, that you aren't worrying about whether your clothes are cool enough, you aren't thinking about yourself at all. You are in the moment, as much of a cliche as that term was to me before I experienced being In The Moment.
I stopped following the Kardashian’s in 2018 and I realized the worm hole I was sucked in took up so much of my time , attention, and opinion of what I thought looked good. God was I brainwashed
@@cleigh3796I lived on a small island of 4000 people once. Despite being heavily influenced by US culture it was still so small with barely anything to buy that it was one of the most beautiful times in my life. I felt free. I had to leave the island but I carried that mindset and ten years later I still consume little but having to dodge all this consumer culture in a major western country is exhausting. I hope in a few more years I get to live somewhere in nature
@@AlexHider not all influencers are promoting constant consumption, i have had my life changed so much in such a positive way by influencers who influenced me to change my mindset, my habits, how i consume fashion (in a good way). i think this video is important but isn’t capturing the whole picture of what influencers do, there are a ton of good ones. its important to note also that some people are just genuinely plain ignorant to these things and may not even realize why a shein haul might be bad and thats not their fault but the fault of capitalism & society, and i think its wrong to call them evil when theyre really victims. there is also genuine addiction around shopping and i think calling people who need help evil is incredibly harsh
What I also hate is how much socia media wants you to go shopping, as soon as I look up shoes or a bag anywhere on my phone suddenly my Instagram is full of ads and accounts of that specific product it's so scary for one and two it's annoying
You’re so right. The whole of social media has become just one loooong commercial or a lecture. Someone is constantly trying use cheap marketing trick on you.
I was over influencers at least 6 years ago…. And so happy I have never done Tik Tok! 😌 I gave up IG in 2020 too. I’m thriving by actually living MY regular life peacefully.
Gave up on IG the moment it started becoming a marketplace. I don't even see the ppl with genuine content anymore coz they keep pushin those ads as I scroll
Social media is garbage now. Meta ruined it and made it profitable for businesses. Even Pinterest has heaps of ads. (My safe place) TH-cam is my only saving grace however there are still ads 🙂
When the 2008 recession happened, conspicuous consumption fell out of style VERY quickly. Wearing expensive, visibly branded clothes was suddenly seen as gauche in a time when a lot of people were struggling to get by. Getting a good sale price on something, or finding a nice item in a thrift store was something to brag about. I think we're seeing something similar here. That said, I don't think we're hitting the end of the influencer era. Even if fast fashion hauls and trendy cup/bottle collections go out of style, some other form of socially acceptable consumption will take their place and influencers will move on to that. If certain influencer sales tactics lose their effectiveness, they'll figure out new tactics. Customers and advertisers have always been in an arms race. Celebrity endorsements have managed to survive for a long time, so I don't see influencer endorsements dying down so quickly.
Yeah, I don't think the influencer game will die off completely. We are way past the old word of mouth and television influencing but influencing someone is always going to be a thing. Everyone who comes out of the new technology is going to have someone to look up to online, whether it affects their consumption habits a lot or little. Fluctuations are expected as people educate themselves about things that align with their own values
i think you're totally right - i agree influencers won't die off and will definitely try change their approach to be more effective. i wonder if it will be that there's a new version of social consumption or that we'll see a change in messaging from influencers to appeal to a more mindful audience
I do think it has reached its peak and is about to start declining. From a market stand point, it's not nearly close to dying though. There's still plenty of people seeking that content, plenty of young folks who say they want to become influencers, and plenty of rich corpos willing to do anything to make more vulnerable and easily influenced people buy their useless products. As influencers get less and less inovative about what they do and promote and how they promote brands, the "influencer marker" will stagnate, influencers will be less and less interesting to the public which will greatly erode their "coolness", and they'll be gradually replaced by some other means of advertising for brands.
It's not a bet I would be willing to make, exactly...but it's certainly an interesting observation. I feel you wouldn't be amiss, calling yourself a journalist, btw. Your videos are very well researched and thought through. Not just opinion pieces or 'rants'. I'm not surprised to learn (from your other comment), that you actually have a background in journalism. It's basically why I keep watching your videos. Because it's not just you being angry about fast fashion. You provide actual information and analysis, that goes deeper than 'fast fashion bad'.
Blocking most influencers a long time ago was one of the best things I’ve done. My mental health is so much better, I barely buy clothes and beauty products anymore, my screen time has dropped and I appreciate the things I have.
I definitely struggle with the same feelings, and you have to remember two things (a) their beauty is not an absence of ur own (b) social media is not reality
I feel like the whole social media isn’t reality isn’t as heavy as it was. It is reality, just scripted but these women are beautiful and it’s rewarded. I feel like I am not enough. And that is reality. :( we have to figure something out other than just saying it isn’t reality. They post a photo and walk around irl looking just the photos. I don’t even know what I look like anymore.
just remember that when you get ready for 2 hours and take 2000 pics in the perfect light and edit what you don't like you will look pretty much like them
I am unfollowing people almost every day now, it really seems that most of these people are living in their own world. Everyone I know is working their asses off to make ends meet, living pay check to paycheck and influencers are getting paid an annual salary for just a post doing nothing. And like you said most of them are just wearing what other influencers are wearing, very little have individuality
I was thinking about this last night, when we used to watch shows on television and how annoying commercial breaks were. I would leave the room and come back in when the show was back on. And now.. it’s all so blurred.
You literally hit the nail on the head with this video. I have been feeling this way towards influencers or Contant creators for about two years now, and it was because I just constantly felt like they were selling me something and I was just making them more rich while I was getting and feeling more poor. I got tired of feeling that way. I got tired of feeling like I didn’t have enough. I got tired of feeling like my life sucked compared to theirs and so I started unfollowing a lot of influencers.
completely see where ur coming from & I've felt similar for ages, we just gotta remember that we have the ultimate power - not giving them our attention!!
literally living in fear of my algorithm rn, don't want to engage in anything outside my sustainable fashion bubble for fear of how well the algorithm will try sell me anything!! I really try limit my social media but would probs delete if it wasn't my job lol
Youre a journalist, forget the rest. It's how you feel about yourself and your work that matters. This is modern journalism, this is where i come to learn and hear perspective on actual topics, not memes. So, youre doing great imo!
it's definitely a hard line to walk for influencers and i'm not saying they're all inherently bad but i think they have to listen to the rising dissatisfaction from ppl sick of being sold things they don't need and reevaluate their role in the system!
I've also seen the shift from people calling themselves influencers to content creators. Another creator stated that it had sth to do with men joining the space and looking for a more "manly" way to differentiate themselves. Not sure how true that is but it worth a thought. I think there is a shift happening and people will follow creators that are genuine rather than sales admin 😅
Psychologically tired of the whole influencing culture as well. How many more unqualified people do we need out there telling us how to live, dress, eat, exercise, think, and even love? That if we don't have their routines and products, our lives are less enjoyable than theirs. The less I listened to influencers, the more I engaged with my own life and surroundings. None of my greatest memories happened for buying 10 different shades of pink lipstick, none.
This video is really well-put-together and you make some excellent points. I’m glad to hear I’m not the only one who has been valuing authenticity and growing tired of the constant barrage of ads in our every day life. I think the growth of AI is also going to point people towards valuing artists and the creative process as well.
It is hard to find influencers that are not just jumping on the bandwagon, truly are original, and give information and ideas. Everyone does the same videos, and many times, I see the exact same clothes and retailers being pushed and advertised with the hauls.
I have several friends who work in this area and they've not only noticed a shift in viewers, etc, but have also become more aware of their impact too. I think like anything else popular, it will evolve. Hopefully for the better. Some of it is just too over the top.
@@katierobinson Two of them have, the third is debating on what to shift to. The two that have made some changes have even discussed why, one is a bit more outspoken about the why and how we all just have too much stuff, etc. She's still tweaking though. It's interesting for me too because they all come from completely different financial demographics but that doesn't seem to be an influence in the "why".
I have two influencer friends, both frustrated by lack of “sales” . One is trying “ sustainable “ items / brands. But their people complain about higher prices. One is in the petite market, and stores are eliminating petite products. I am returning so many items due to poor quality it’s ridiculous, Nordstrom pleather jackets for $300-400, just not a good idea.
@eileenternullo8077 right?? The quality of even some high end brands is questionable. And I can't help but wonder how much is maybe in part due to influencer culture. Brands send ridiculous amounts of samples to promote first off, have to recoup that somehow. Then they assume because certain influencers are promoting their products, they can get away with cheapening the product. It's a vicious circle when you really think about it.
so refreshing to come across a channel like this. When you’re out of the matrix you start looking at some if not majority of the trends as “really?”. I never got on board with Stanley cups, all these niche athleisure brands when my current items were doing just fine. The rhode phone case for a lip gloss that many other lip glosses i own can do the same thing. It’s like a test/scam to see how desperate are the general public to attain a lifestyle the “content creators” themselves sometimes struggle to maintain. Deleting tiktok was the best thing ever. I’m here for the deinfluencing for unnecessary and wasteful trends
It's a bit more complex than that. Often, if someone lacks people of trust in their lives, maybe have a dysfunctional relationships with their parents and friends I can understand finding comfort in a virtual "friend". Especially if they're young. Me personally, when I was struggling, I always found comfort in fictional characters, but it's also a form of parasocial relationship. It then evolved and I started writing fiction.
I am literally so OVER looking at influencers hauls…I’m so tired of hearing them talking about NOTHING and sweaking over a box 🙄. Their style is “rinse and repeat” and very few have original style. I’m so over them
LOVE THIS VIDEO. Thanks for spreading awareness of this topic in such a detailed and interesting way with the supporting content. Hope your kind of content can reach those who consume a lot, not just those who already agree with regular consumption.
Sometimes we think something is this big, pervasive trend or movement when in reality it just seems that way bc of personalized algorithms. What I perceive as what "everyone is talking about" might be different from what you do because our feeds could be completely different. I might see a bunch of creators on my fyp embracing underconsumption, but someone else who genuinely follows Shein haul creators (for example) might not notice that trend as much. And also the more I engage with underconsumption videos, the more i'll be shown, and so the more i'll believe it's really a huge trend. it's a good sign when trends transcend the borders of different communities but unless we have a super diverse feed/fyp we're generally just gonna see stuff that confirms our worldview
very very true, and definitely a factor in why the underconsumption trend was so important compared to some of the smaller ones i mentioned bc i think that did spread further than the expected audience!
I know someone who went on a brand event in SC during the hurricanes so out of touch, and went on saying she’s taking a break from yt feeling under the weather.💀😂
That's how I felt about whitefox from the pandemic until like last year. Everytime there was a new drop I would see majority of the people I followed show their haul which consisted of the same items the other 11 influencers showed. I've definitely been over the influencing world. Now I like watching people who either camp, show their routines before and after work, and just more real life.
i didn't see this specific example but it reminded me of the Dior Saddle Bag campaign from a few years ago that just felt ridiculous, everyone on my feed had the same bag & were trying to promote it as organic 😭
@@katierobinson oh right! I remember that! I didn't know that was a campaign. Lol now it makes sense. I was also questioning why everyone HAD to have this bag at one point.
Something else that would be great to touch on --topic for its own video-- is how the threats to democracy and failure of legacy media led to the rise of political influencers in the US, who are doing more journalism than actual journalists lately
i think i'd be under-qualified to talk about this but i'd definitely watch a deep dive from someone who knows the community bc that sounds fascinating 😮💨
I said this before in one of your recent videos but your content is such a breath of fresh air, as you mentioned, the world AND the internet feels increasingly like an awfull place day by day and your content always makes me hopeful? I don’t know how to put it because your actually very critical but I think in a positive way.
Thanks to TH-cam content creators I’ve learned how to cook better, do better makeup and gardening, however with fashion - no, no-no-no. Fashion influencers either have Chanel haul every week or pushing same cheap single-use crap.
i definitely have learnt from fashion youtubers but i'm v picky with the content i consume 😅i stick to ppl who i feel have a very keen sense of style, or who talk about how to mindfully consume etc. just steering well clear of haul videos!!!
This! I was just thinking about how creators are using this “I get a small commission from the link but don’t feel obligated” to seem earnest and to set themselves apart from the boston Mikayla type of creators.
do you think it's becoming more common from influencers? i've only seen a few ppl use it but then again don't tend to see a lot of videos from ppl doing hauls / shopping recommendations
@@katierobinson yes I do think it’s growing. I watch a lot of haul videos and have observed it multiple times. I know some are genuine and actually care about their work but others are most likely doing that to improve their image. I predict it will become more common.
The current crop of influencers are being swept out of the mainstream by force, it seems. This is tangentially related but I’ve also noticed certain movies bombing that used to sell well (comic book movies struggling BADLY), music charts have started changing with no clear dominant genre. Even in the gaming industry, you have companies that dominated the 2010s suddenly falling apart due to games bombing (Ubisoft is a good example). It’s hard to tell what will come after this shift but it’s pretty clear consumers are generally fed up, this my opinion but it feels a lot of media is out of touch and just not reflective of reality. This effect appears is not just happening to influencers, but all types of popular culture rn, which I find super interesting.
I do indeed find it odd seeing TH-cam vlogs about shopping for designer bags, the strengths and weakness of whichever label, blah blah blah bags costing in the 000s’. Sick world
Great video Katie. I stopped following a lot of people once their content became solely focused around shopping, eating out and traveling. Personally I enjoy following people that add value (like your channel), where I learn something new or feel inspired to try a new hobby. I feel like in the early blogging days it was the content about lifestyle and day to day, the relatable stuff, that made bloggers big. At least that’s what I want to see, not brand deals and shopping hauls :)
I think we re just doing a 360 and like with streaming platforms turning into basically cable-packages, we will end back up at classical marketing/advertisement. Just sneakier and with a newer twist. Regarding 14:07 and the demand from brands for more cinematic and story telling influencers.
I took an university socials/psychology course and there was a study looking at commercials for medication they took an ads with an actor impersonating a doctor with an English accent versus a commercial with a beautiful model with the same message and in the long run both commercial had the same impact ( the doctor sold more or was more believable in the beginning but in the end the doctor “approved “ didn’t had any impact just the message) so knowing that it doesn’t surprise me that 20years later to see companies going the influencer route to sell their products because in the end if the influencer has the right message he will have the same if not more impact then A Harvard doctor in a cheap ass commercial on tv …. It’s also part of an anti-intellectual movement going on etc.
Omg I can try lol but a quick google research only give me this … it’s not quite it but still they kind of touch the subject of what work : Creativity in Advertising: When It Works and When It Doesn’t
Thank you for sharing your sentiments! I've been feeling SO MUCH internal conflict over the past few years regarding influencing. I've come to realise that I actually absolutely hate it and will not be continuing any further with it, especially in a crumbling world like??
I don't think it's going to die because the brands have already seen this from a mile away and started encouraging EVERYONE, no matter how small your following is, to be an influencer. The rise of UGC creators, the outright offers for affiliate marketing by ecomm sites and brands tapping nano and microinfluencers ensured that this will be our new normal and not a passing trend because our own friends and loved ones are in it.
i love the way you say your opinion without forcing who's whatching to think your same way (even though my opinion is quite often the same as yours lol). i adore your work!! keep going girl! :))
Haha I deleted TikTok for this exact reason! I felt like it was just constantly watching adverts… and it was working! I was suddenly buying some much cheap tat!
I feel like we got into this mess because we let the advertising industry run wild. Why do we simply accept that in order to do anything we want-tKe a walk down the street, watch a video online, listen to a podcast, etc etc, we are inundated by literally thousands of ads per day? It became so normal to be sold stuff every minute that we collectively don’t bat an eye when even more ads show up in new forms of media. I am so sick of feeling like I’m being sold things, and 99.999% I will never buy. I never consented for my attention to be grabbed by these advertisers and the insidious overstimulation of my subconscious is an invasion of my peace of mind. I resent that we as a society allowed ourselves to become inundated, and i can only hope that the mounting resistance against being forced to consume, consume, consume, leads to a greater collective awareness and rejection of over-advertising in all forms of media.
Uffff it’s exhausting all these type of influencers. I miss the days of traditional celebrities, they have their own issues but it’s way less harming. Yes are maybe quite elitist or out of touch but at least they are not selling us stuff all the time.
No it’s not the end of the influencer era. When you look at data and the larger creator economy, influencers are doing quite well and will continue to for many years. You are an influencer too and are clearly trying to create a brand for yourself with all the sustainable fashion activism
funny enough i actually say in the video that i would call myself a journalist and content creator rather than an influencer, but yes i'm trying to create a brand for myself! i also say that working with brands isn't necessarily a bad thing, but ppl need to be careful about which brands they work with & vet them before partnering
@@katierobinson that’s all fine. I’m just saying anyone who thinks this is the end of the influencer era is kidding themselves. We are not even close to the end. I work in tech (Meta) and am aware of all the heavy investment that companies continue to make in this space to leverage creators further. We are going to see an even bigger boom in influencers going forward
@@dancedance182 oooh interesting, this is information I couldn't find online 😮💨I do definitely think influencers will never go away, but whether they'll pivot to a more relatable approach in the current economic crisis and whether the ones that refuse to do that may seem a drop in interest. are u aware of exactly how companies are trying to push them more?
@@dancedance182 If you have inside knowledge, could you be persuaded to do an interview with her, maybe? Anonymously, of course. It would be so interesting, to get some insights from someone who knows what it looks like 'behind the curtain'!
Unfortunately , you really cannot rely on what you are conditioned to believe, to see what is about to come. Just because you have involvement in Meta, doesn't mean that you are aware of the bigger picture. It means you are conditioned to see what Meta wants you to see. Honestly, wake up and look beyond Meta.
so much food for thought, I love this!! it's super interesting to me that as anti consumerism creators become more and more popular, the legitimacy of their platform is almost challenged by their size? we immediately associate a bigger follower size w increased brand partnership rates, and therefore more income! but taking on brand deals that are totally at odds w your platform will just lead to slower growth, and therefore less brand deals! it's such a vicious circle in which the brands always seem to win, unless the creator decides to opt out of pursuing wealth on the scale of consumerism driven creators. there's a quote that's along the lines of "the difference between some ppl and their oppressors is simply the figure in their bank accounts" it's one thing to be anticapitalist when you're poor, it's a whole other thing to hold on to those principles when the wealth we're indoctrinated to yearn for is being dangled right in front of you by loreal lmao (your videos always spark so much discussion, thank you!!)
it's definitely a paradox and something that creators have to treat carefully, working with brands that align with your vision and message is obviously totally fine but taking every brand deal under the sun is just irresponsible imo 😭 i could be rich by now if i worked with every amazon / dropshipping brand that emailed me lol
underconsumption core is basically being a student at university, where you can't afford anything and purchase little. This applies to food too, is spaghetti 5 x a week underconsumption core as well?
If you know your body shape, your skin type, your undertones, you will come to a conclusion that most products out there won't fit, won't match your persona. If you use something that is not a good match it'll cheapen your looks. This is even valid for perfumes.
I gotta say this. At the beginning of 2020 I found a lot of youtubers I found so fun and cool. As of 2024 I have either stopped watching them or they came out as being a horrible person. There are a handful of influencers I am still watching after 3 years. Artist, a few gamers, and video essayist. If I see ads I will take note of it and over time if its a lot I will unfollow or skip the ads.
The thing is There were lots genuine influencer back in time who were genuinely caring towards their followers. But then this type of capitalism comes in the scene, they overthrow those real popular influencer.
Oh the tide has definitely shifted for the influencer/content creator who was invested in fashion. this is evidenced by some of the major ones dropping out and calling foul on the brands for lying to them. I know I'm no longer interested in any of the videos talking about hauls, and coveting cetain brands that are not affordable for most. Their monitizing for those videos have decreased. Ask any of them if that was their sole income they are hurting now for sure. Its no longer lucrative. A lot of them saw the handwriing on the wall and started selling all the handbags they bought to show of their collection in these videos. You're speaking about the Elephant in the Room.
the brand trips were cute when there was a certain allure to influencers, that’s when the illusion worked… now it’s just like… ehh, you’re not even a nice person, trying to play mean girls to their brand trip coworkers… all while working with companies who aren’t even trying to be good people either…
9:45 I recently deleted Tik tok because of this reason. I don’t want my entire fyp to be someone trying to sell me something or some kind of ad. It’s annoying
Same here ! Had it 2020-22 but couldn’t hack the tick tock shops and reviews - especially because it was so funny and fun at the start, it reminded me of vine at beginning. It’s scary to me because alot of young people joining only know the currently ticktock and instagram
all these talking points have been discussed 10 years ago when minimalism first became popular. Nothing ever change when people don't have other things to consume their free time.
I am so glad this video came in my recommendation, I noticed the shift but India is still adjusting to this cultural shift so I hadn’t noticed an elaborate video on this topic. Although I see the shift in the kind of content I have started to consume in the last 2 years
I got tired of feeling like a target of ads on IG so I deleted it, im still on YT and twitter. Never got on tiktok out of tiredness of apps. Im def over viewing content filled with buy this or buy that. Sadly most are human billboards just posting to get that check they dont care what the effect is as long as they dont have to get a real job.
Thank you so much for this incredibly researched video! What also intrigues me with Anna Paul, even though she doesn’t do brand deals, she has released a huge skincare licensing deal called Paulie, she’s likely profiting hugely from this more so than one off brand deals.
When you watch someone’s content and you never see the things they’re selling you in their videos other than the influence video I lose trust. You can always tell when someone is just selling you something because it’s a brand deal or an affiliate marketing play. They may think they’re being genuine but we can tell.
I have never understood accepting influencers pushing ads in viewers faces, and the glorification of over shopping and “hauls” like genuinely why do these people feel the need to post something they bought?? It’s just so beyond shallow and shameful
When you said “it seems like influencers are only influencing other influencers” i was so interested in what gives you that impression. I guess it could be measured by what engagement you see, but that’s extremely based on your own algorithm. Maybe by the success of the fashion companies, their stocks, or maybe even how often they are releasing new styles. And when you said that it seems like people aren’t shopping with the world feeling like it’s ending… im just not sure how you see it - BUT this is EXACTLY what’s extremely intriguing to me - the fact that is what you see and how it seems to you and others in your audience. I don’t have tiktok or instagram or any social media. I watch a lot of TH-cam but that’s all. I perceive basically anyone who makes videos on these apps as like an “influencer” to some degree. I’m really into streetwear and I listen to some “influencers” about brands, and I definitely feel susceptible to trying a brand that might have later been disappointing, or even brands that I initially liked *because* of the influencer (like Teddy Fresh for example). I think the definition of an influencer can be SO vague now. As someone with no social media, I don’t perceive someone as an influencer only if it’s their full time job but if they’re good at influencing and have some interesting content and use those apps. I think it’s interesting because most people, you (very often) wouldn’t know how content is impacting them, because they don’t make content or typically comment.
interesting comment, i'll try explain my thoughts more!! influencers influencing other influencers: primarily what i was thinking here was the trend cycle rampant on tiktok/ insta especially and how influencers are the ones pushing it in order to create new content / work with brands, and are more likely to jump on a trend introduced by another influencer than say a regular viewer, bc it's new and exciting, or hype a trend up to be "the next big must have thing". obviously brands are complicit in this too people aren't shopping bc world is ending: i'm definitely in two minds about this bc although i and the ppl i follow are in this camp, i'm aware there's a massive divide on the internet and some ppl are using shopping as a distraction method to cope with these feelings instead. for me, it feels pointless to keep buying clothes and supporting fast fashion when i know it's directly contributing to climate change and cutting back my consumption could make a difference completely agree about the definition of an influencer being hard to pinpoint now and not being as cut and dry as we might think!!
Well done!!! So glad to see you educating your generation. Many of us "older" folk have been seeing this for years, but we get written off as boomers even if we aren't! 🤣 Your ability to step outside the box is inspiring , courageous and highly respected by this Gen X'er. 💕🌸
16:32 Influencer trips existed before. But instead of influencers brands would take fashion journalists to those trips. I used to work for Loreal marketing department in mid 2000s and that what we would do, invite editors from fashion magazines, so they learn about new product launch and feature it in the article.
I like to follow small Influencers because I can relate and feel like they can be my friends vs influencers like alix Earle , her life is so luxurious and I could never have that which makes me feel bad
feel like this is going to become more and more common and maybe big influencers like Alix will ascend to a new type of role bigger than influencer?? idk, but maybe a middle ground between influencer and celeb
If i see influencer content online I always think of them first and foremost as a salesperson. Parasocial relationships IMO blur this to the viewer. But if they made 0 income or exposure from this product would they include it in their content? IMO its unlikely. IMO People have just wised up to content creation being another version of a sales career, the brand is themselves and whatever they promote.
it's definitely a hard line for them to keep being genuine as they're followers increase and they get more opportunities, i'm not saying they're all inherently bad but i think they have to listen to the rising dissatisfaction from ppl sick of being sold things they don't need and reevaluate their role in the system!
@@katierobinson I think we will see more and more subtle selling (think an item on a table not being spoken about, but visible). And I think we will see the opposite very obvious product promotion, but the in between that we see more commonly i think will become less popular.
To buy products we do not need influencers. There is enough advertisement everywhere. I am sure anyone can just go to a store and see products for themselves or naturally gravitate towards brands they enjoy. I definitely feel like social media feeds became advertisements. Even just people you follow for other things starting to create content that makes you feel like you are being advertised to, or in need to compare your life to theirs. This is not healthy in my opinion, I would want to see actual value and things that actually help me or make me think. Thanks for speaking on this topic.
Influencers use to be authentic until they started getting brand deals and acting like typical commercial marketers. To stay relevant it’s probably best to being authentic and giving honest reviews on products and services. Nothing is wrong with brand deals but they should sign with companies who they actually like and enjoy their products!
Ive never had tiktok this following random strangers and being happy thru their experiences just isnt my get down. Most these younger generations are growing up and will be doing their own things. They brought the influncers made them relavant. Now its oversaturated everyone is broke and crying. Things change then come back. Im 45 & still cant believe mom jeans came back 😂😂
tiffanyferg talks a lot about influencers and she had a recent video "the lifestyle influencer paradox" which is one of my favourite videos. she talks about her definition of influencer and some other really cool stuff (sorry my brain is mush)
Chica, que de verdad me ha gustado este video (y pienso maratonear tus demás videos también). Yo solía hacer videos sobre estos temas en mi canal de TH-cam (influencer culture, fast fashion y sostenibilidad/slow fashion), pero actualmente me he tomado una larga pausa de crear contenido. Sin embargo, creo que este video me ha motivado a volver a hablar de este tópico (no sé si en un video per se, o en un artículo de Substack) porque también tengo varias cosas que decir al respecto. No voy a traducir este comentario al inglés, pero sí, espero que se haya entendido lo que escribí, jaja 😅 Saludos ✌🏼
haha had to google translate this 🤭 you should definitely start making content on this again if you feel inspired, pls share a link if you do!! thanks for watching 🫶
Hi, very interesting video! It could also be that people are generally tired of consuming so much information/content. If you spend 6 hours or more in front of your screens, your tolerance for what the algorithm shows you (including influencers and brand deals) might sink.
yes agree!!! feel like there's a growing trend of ppl quitting social media (and ironically making content about them quitting) bc they're so tired of it all
I absolutely LOVE not being on tiktok and just hearing about the actual cesspool it is from instagram or youtube.
Same!! 😂
life hack 😅
Same! I never got into TikTok
I disabled it a month ago and seeing things on IG after it has grown on TT is the best honestly.
Yes, girlie! My biggest flex is never having downloaded that scummy app.
especially the dissonance between current world status vs. social media reality gets me everytime. I am not able to consume influencers anymore, brand trips, nonstop vacation, endless hauls etc. without getting severly angry...
i genuinely just scroll so fast bc it doesn't interest me - i stopped following influencers but that doesn't stop them popping up on my fyp, but i refuse to give stuff like this my attention
I really try not to get angry because getting emotional will just drive engagement if you comment or keep watching out of shock. As soon as some overconsumption BS pops up on my feed, or anything that smells of rage bait using the typical tricks like casual bigotry "for laughs" *I am pressing "Not Interested" so fast.*
Omg me too !! Especially those videos saying “you only live once, travel the world” like maybe most of CANT afford that
very true, i put some time restrictions on instagram so i open it less because it made me feel so shit every time but still i was addicted to keep watching. i have been feeling much better.
If you are jealous just say
I unfollowed every "influencer" a few years ago because it started to feel like I was just watching unskippable ads. Like the actual content itself was just ads. Why would I get ablock and pay for premium just to be marketing to in a different way? Honestly the Avon lady comparison is super accurate. Influencers are just sales people really.
really well put, the way we're constantly being advertised to is crazy if you think about it too long 🥴
@@katierobinson Realizing this made me realize why seniors probably like going for walks in the park. just enjoyin nature. No one tryin to sell you anything. Feed the ducks. They don't try to sell you anything (except the idea that they deserve to be fed lol).
I think the world would be better if we all spent more time in nature. You realize, as you stare at the trees or the birds or just listen to the wind, that you aren't worrying about whether your clothes are cool enough, you aren't thinking about yourself at all. You are in the moment, as much of a cliche as that term was to me before I experienced being In The Moment.
I stopped following the Kardashian’s in 2018 and I realized the worm hole I was sucked in took up so much of my time , attention, and opinion of what I thought looked good. God was I brainwashed
“Unstoppable ads” hahahahahaaha okaaaaay
@@cleigh3796I lived on a small island of 4000 people once. Despite being heavily influenced by US culture it was still so small with barely anything to buy that it was one of the most beautiful times in my life. I felt free. I had to leave the island but I carried that mindset and ten years later I still consume little but having to dodge all this consumer culture in a major western country is exhausting. I hope in a few more years I get to live somewhere in nature
I wouldn’t say it’s over but is changing. The way we look at influence is changing.
agree it's definitely changing - but i think the next step may be away from influencers or at least some of the more non relatable content
Evil doesn’t die, it just reinvents itself. As long as there are items to be bought for money, there will be influencers.
agreed😮💨
influencers are not evil 🙄
@@deannaalee idk on the whole I think they make our planet worse by promoting needless consumption of things you didn’t know existed. Just my opinion.
@@AlexHider not all influencers are promoting constant consumption, i have had my life changed so much in such a positive way by influencers who influenced me to change my mindset, my habits, how i consume fashion (in a good way). i think this video is important but isn’t capturing the whole picture of what influencers do, there are a ton of good ones. its important to note also that some people are just genuinely plain ignorant to these things and may not even realize why a shein haul might be bad and thats not their fault but the fault of capitalism & society, and i think its wrong to call them evil when theyre really victims. there is also genuine addiction around shopping and i think calling people who need help evil is incredibly harsh
@@deannaalee wow girl you are shooting for influencers out there. good for you, but like. I didn’t ask you to change my mind lol
What I also hate is how much socia media wants you to go shopping, as soon as I look up shoes or a bag anywhere on my phone suddenly my Instagram is full of ads and accounts of that specific product it's so scary for one and two it's annoying
as soon as they sense a weakness they move in 🫢
You’re so right. The whole of social media has become just one loooong commercial or a lecture. Someone is constantly trying use cheap marketing trick on you.
honestlyyy it's like where's the off switch 😭
I was over influencers at least 6 years ago…. And so happy I have never done Tik Tok! 😌 I gave up IG in 2020 too. I’m thriving by actually living MY regular life peacefully.
haha love this for u, there's definitely a growing movement of ppl who feel the same 😮💨
Gave up on IG the moment it started becoming a marketplace. I don't even see the ppl with genuine content anymore coz they keep pushin those ads as I scroll
As a broke sahm, for the past 4 years I’ve just been sitting back and watching everything happen. I have not bought a single item from an influencer.
Valid honestly. The only “influencers” I’ve ever bought anything from are the green brothers lol
Social media is garbage now. Meta ruined it and made it profitable for businesses.
Even Pinterest has heaps of ads. (My safe place)
TH-cam is my only saving grace however there are still ads 🙂
ads everywhere & it's not even easy to spot them sometimes, gotta always be on ur guard 😮💨
using an adblocker on pinterest is SO humbling- literally half of the page disappears
OMG Pinterest is terrible for ads now 🙄
@@VoicesofTaniaAnd Ai 😢
@@tamsin6455 uuugh i hate the AI
When the 2008 recession happened, conspicuous consumption fell out of style VERY quickly. Wearing expensive, visibly branded clothes was suddenly seen as gauche in a time when a lot of people were struggling to get by. Getting a good sale price on something, or finding a nice item in a thrift store was something to brag about. I think we're seeing something similar here.
That said, I don't think we're hitting the end of the influencer era. Even if fast fashion hauls and trendy cup/bottle collections go out of style, some other form of socially acceptable consumption will take their place and influencers will move on to that. If certain influencer sales tactics lose their effectiveness, they'll figure out new tactics. Customers and advertisers have always been in an arms race. Celebrity endorsements have managed to survive for a long time, so I don't see influencer endorsements dying down so quickly.
Yeah, I don't think the influencer game will die off completely. We are way past the old word of mouth and television influencing but influencing someone is always going to be a thing. Everyone who comes out of the new technology is going to have someone to look up to online, whether it affects their consumption habits a lot or little. Fluctuations are expected as people educate themselves about things that align with their own values
i think you're totally right - i agree influencers won't die off and will definitely try change their approach to be more effective. i wonder if it will be that there's a new version of social consumption or that we'll see a change in messaging from influencers to appeal to a more mindful audience
I do think it has reached its peak and is about to start declining. From a market stand point, it's not nearly close to dying though. There's still plenty of people seeking that content, plenty of young folks who say they want to become influencers, and plenty of rich corpos willing to do anything to make more vulnerable and easily influenced people buy their useless products.
As influencers get less and less inovative about what they do and promote and how they promote brands, the "influencer marker" will stagnate, influencers will be less and less interesting to the public which will greatly erode their "coolness", and they'll be gradually replaced by some other means of advertising for brands.
@@micheller3251 interesting, i agree that eventually brands will move on, maybe to AI influencers who don’t require effort / time / payment even??
@@katierobinson
Ohhh ...I'm sure this is going to happen at least to some degree!
It's not a bet I would be willing to make, exactly...but it's certainly an interesting observation.
I feel you wouldn't be amiss, calling yourself a journalist, btw. Your videos are very well researched and thought through. Not just opinion pieces or 'rants'. I'm not surprised to learn (from your other comment), that you actually have a background in journalism. It's basically why I keep watching your videos. Because it's not just you being angry about fast fashion. You provide actual information and analysis, that goes deeper than 'fast fashion bad'.
@@raraavis7782 thank you for saying this, i'm happy to hear that's how I come across to you as someone who watches and comments on my videos a lot 🫶
Well said.
Blocking most influencers a long time ago was one of the best things I’ve done. My mental health is so much better, I barely buy clothes and beauty products anymore, my screen time has dropped and I appreciate the things I have.
I stopped going on instagram because i git sick of seeing people trying to sell me something
influencers also promote almost unreal beauty standards. when i look at them i always feel like i’m not enough
I definitely struggle with the same feelings, and you have to remember two things (a) their beauty is not an absence of ur own (b) social media is not reality
I feel like the whole social media isn’t reality isn’t as heavy as it was. It is reality, just scripted but these women are beautiful and it’s rewarded. I feel like I am not enough. And that is reality. :( we have to figure something out other than just saying it isn’t reality. They post a photo and walk around irl looking just the photos. I don’t even know what I look like anymore.
just remember that when you get ready for 2 hours and take 2000 pics in the perfect light and edit what you don't like you will look pretty much like them
I am unfollowing people almost every day now, it really seems that most of these people are living in their own world. Everyone I know is working their asses off to make ends meet, living pay check to paycheck and influencers are getting paid an annual salary for just a post doing nothing. And like you said most of them are just wearing what other influencers are wearing, very little have individuality
I was thinking about this last night, when we used to watch shows on television and how annoying commercial breaks were. I would leave the room and come back in when the show was back on. And now.. it’s all so blurred.
You literally hit the nail on the head with this video. I have been feeling this way towards influencers or Contant creators for about two years now, and it was because I just constantly felt like they were selling me something and I was just making them more rich while I was getting and feeling more poor. I got tired of feeling that way. I got tired of feeling like I didn’t have enough. I got tired of feeling like my life sucked compared to theirs and so I started unfollowing a lot of influencers.
completely see where ur coming from & I've felt similar for ages, we just gotta remember that we have the ultimate power - not giving them our attention!!
this is partly why I deleted my social medias! the endless ads felt so dystopian and I hated having to see 5 ads for every one video I actually liked
literally living in fear of my algorithm rn, don't want to engage in anything outside my sustainable fashion bubble for fear of how well the algorithm will try sell me anything!! I really try limit my social media but would probs delete if it wasn't my job lol
Youre a journalist, forget the rest. It's how you feel about yourself and your work that matters. This is modern journalism, this is where i come to learn and hear perspective on actual topics, not memes. So, youre doing great imo!
thank you for this kindness 🫶
The calm neutral aesthetics of your space is very beautiful. So cozy ☺️
People have realised that most influencers are untrustworthy
it's definitely a hard line to walk for influencers and i'm not saying they're all inherently bad but i think they have to listen to the rising dissatisfaction from ppl sick of being sold things they don't need and reevaluate their role in the system!
a lot of them get caught lying too :V
I've also seen the shift from people calling themselves influencers to content creators. Another creator stated that it had sth to do with men joining the space and looking for a more "manly" way to differentiate themselves. Not sure how true that is but it worth a thought.
I think there is a shift happening and people will follow creators that are genuine rather than sales admin 😅
Psychologically tired of the whole influencing culture as well. How many more unqualified people do we need out there telling us how to live, dress, eat, exercise, think, and even love? That if we don't have their routines and products, our lives are less enjoyable than theirs.
The less I listened to influencers, the more I engaged with my own life and surroundings. None of my greatest memories happened for buying 10 different shades of pink lipstick, none.
it's true, we're often getting sold happiness via products and aesthetic content 😒
the paradox of becoming famous for being relatable is that with your success you won't be relatable anymore. anyway, great video!
This video is really well-put-together and you make some excellent points. I’m glad to hear I’m not the only one who has been valuing authenticity and growing tired of the constant barrage of ads in our every day life. I think the growth of AI is also going to point people towards valuing artists and the creative process as well.
ooh I think you might be right with ur last point, the rise of authenticity is most likely highly linked to AI!
It is hard to find influencers that are not just jumping on the bandwagon, truly are original, and give information and ideas. Everyone does the same videos, and many times, I see the exact same clothes and retailers being pushed and advertised with the hauls.
And this creator too. All these calm intellectual like videos with them microphones in their hands, I swear, they are like clones.
I have several friends who work in this area and they've not only noticed a shift in viewers, etc, but have also become more aware of their impact too. I think like anything else popular, it will evolve. Hopefully for the better. Some of it is just too over the top.
oooh this is interesting, have they started changing their content in any way bc of this??
@@katierobinson Two of them have, the third is debating on what to shift to. The two that have made some changes have even discussed why, one is a bit more outspoken about the why and how we all just have too much stuff, etc. She's still tweaking though. It's interesting for me too because they all come from completely different financial demographics but that doesn't seem to be an influence in the "why".
I have two influencer friends, both frustrated by lack of “sales” .
One is trying “ sustainable “ items / brands. But their people complain about higher prices.
One is in the petite market, and stores are eliminating petite products.
I am returning so many items due to poor quality it’s ridiculous, Nordstrom pleather jackets for $300-400, just not a good idea.
@eileenternullo8077 right?? The quality of even some high end brands is questionable. And I can't help but wonder how much is maybe in part due to influencer culture. Brands send ridiculous amounts of samples to promote first off, have to recoup that somehow. Then they assume because certain influencers are promoting their products, they can get away with cheapening the product. It's a vicious circle when you really think about it.
so refreshing to come across a channel like this. When you’re out of the matrix you start looking at some if not majority of the trends as “really?”. I never got on board with Stanley cups, all these niche athleisure brands when my current items were doing just fine. The rhode phone case for a lip gloss that many other lip glosses i own can do the same thing. It’s like a test/scam to see how desperate are the general public to attain a lifestyle the “content creators” themselves sometimes struggle to maintain. Deleting tiktok was the best thing ever. I’m here for the deinfluencing for unnecessary and wasteful trends
Anyone who trusts or idolizes influencers is crazy and has no character
It's a bit more complex than that. Often, if someone lacks people of trust in their lives, maybe have a dysfunctional relationships with their parents and friends I can understand finding comfort in a virtual "friend". Especially if they're young. Me personally, when I was struggling, I always found comfort in fictional characters, but it's also a form of parasocial relationship. It then evolved and I started writing fiction.
I am literally so OVER looking at influencers hauls…I’m so tired of hearing them talking about NOTHING and sweaking over a box 🙄. Their style is “rinse and repeat” and very few have original style. I’m so over them
literally agreed but hold on is sweaking a new word idk or a typo?? 😅
@@katierobinsonprobably typo for tweaking
LOVE THIS VIDEO. Thanks for spreading awareness of this topic in such a detailed and interesting way with the supporting content. Hope your kind of content can reach those who consume a lot, not just those who already agree with regular consumption.
aww tysm for watching!! 🫶
Sometimes we think something is this big, pervasive trend or movement when in reality it just seems that way bc of personalized algorithms. What I perceive as what "everyone is talking about" might be different from what you do because our feeds could be completely different. I might see a bunch of creators on my fyp embracing underconsumption, but someone else who genuinely follows Shein haul creators (for example) might not notice that trend as much. And also the more I engage with underconsumption videos, the more i'll be shown, and so the more i'll believe it's really a huge trend. it's a good sign when trends transcend the borders of different communities but unless we have a super diverse feed/fyp we're generally just gonna see stuff that confirms our worldview
very very true, and definitely a factor in why the underconsumption trend was so important compared to some of the smaller ones i mentioned bc i think that did spread further than the expected audience!
I know someone who went on a brand event in SC during the hurricanes so out of touch, and went on saying she’s taking a break from yt feeling under the weather.💀😂
That's how I felt about whitefox from the pandemic until like last year. Everytime there was a new drop I would see majority of the people I followed show their haul which consisted of the same items the other 11 influencers showed. I've definitely been over the influencing world. Now I like watching people who either camp, show their routines before and after work, and just more real life.
i didn't see this specific example but it reminded me of the Dior Saddle Bag campaign from a few years ago that just felt ridiculous, everyone on my feed had the same bag & were trying to promote it as organic 😭
@@katierobinson oh right! I remember that! I didn't know that was a campaign. Lol now it makes sense. I was also questioning why everyone HAD to have this bag at one point.
Something else that would be great to touch on --topic for its own video-- is how the threats to democracy and failure of legacy media led to the rise of political influencers in the US, who are doing more journalism than actual journalists lately
you can thank reagan for that one 🤢
i think i'd be under-qualified to talk about this but i'd definitely watch a deep dive from someone who knows the community bc that sounds fascinating 😮💨
I said this before in one of your recent videos but your content is such a breath of fresh air, as you mentioned, the world AND the internet feels increasingly like an awfull place day by day and your content always makes me hopeful? I don’t know how to put it because your actually very critical but I think in a positive way.
aww this is so lovely tysm!! I'm glad u come away from watching feeling hopeful, that's exactly what I'm trying for! 🫶
Thanks to TH-cam content creators I’ve learned how to cook better, do better makeup and gardening, however with fashion - no, no-no-no. Fashion influencers either have Chanel haul every week or pushing same cheap single-use crap.
i definitely have learnt from fashion youtubers but i'm v picky with the content i consume 😅i stick to ppl who i feel have a very keen sense of style, or who talk about how to mindfully consume etc. just steering well clear of haul videos!!!
I agree! I taught myself how to do my makeup from
TH-cam. Influencer culture is ridiculous.
I’ve already heard the “don’t feel pressured to use my link” saying lol
This! I was just thinking about how creators are using this “I get a small commission from the link but don’t feel obligated” to seem earnest and to set themselves apart from the boston Mikayla type of creators.
@@EssieSpring lol fr, i’m embarrassed to be from the same state at mikayla 😭
do you think it's becoming more common from influencers? i've only seen a few ppl use it but then again don't tend to see a lot of videos from ppl doing hauls / shopping recommendations
@@katierobinson yes I do think it’s growing. I watch a lot of haul videos and have observed it multiple times. I know some are genuine and actually care about their work but others are most likely doing that to improve their image. I predict it will become more common.
@@katierobinson I also am not easily influenced I choose very carefully what to buy so I’m very observant of these things
The current crop of influencers are being swept out of the mainstream by force, it seems.
This is tangentially related but I’ve also noticed certain movies bombing that used to sell well (comic book movies struggling BADLY), music charts have started changing with no clear dominant genre. Even in the gaming industry, you have companies that dominated the 2010s suddenly falling apart due to games bombing (Ubisoft is a good example).
It’s hard to tell what will come after this shift but it’s pretty clear consumers are generally fed up, this my opinion but it feels a lot of media is out of touch and just not reflective of reality. This effect appears is not just happening to influencers, but all types of popular culture rn, which I find super interesting.
I do indeed find it odd seeing TH-cam vlogs about shopping for designer bags, the strengths and weakness of whichever label, blah blah blah bags costing in the 000s’. Sick world
I've gotten so fed up with it I actually deleted all of my social media except for TH-cam.
Great video Katie. I stopped following a lot of people once their content became solely focused around shopping, eating out and traveling. Personally I enjoy following people that add value (like your channel), where I learn something new or feel inspired to try a new hobby. I feel like in the early blogging days it was the content about lifestyle and day to day, the relatable stuff, that made bloggers big. At least that’s what I want to see, not brand deals and shopping hauls :)
I think we re just doing a 360 and like with streaming platforms turning into basically cable-packages, we will end back up at classical marketing/advertisement. Just sneakier and with a newer twist. Regarding 14:07 and the demand from brands for more cinematic and story telling influencers.
Her voice is soothing and she makes good videos
I really gotta admit i really love her background all of the furniture and the cozy colors are pretty
I took an university socials/psychology course and there was a study looking at commercials for medication they took an ads with an actor impersonating a doctor with an English accent versus a commercial with a beautiful model with the same message and in the long run both commercial had the same impact ( the doctor sold more or was more believable in the beginning but in the end the doctor “approved “ didn’t had any impact just the message) so knowing that it doesn’t surprise me that 20years later to see companies going the influencer route to sell their products because in the end if the influencer has the right message he will have the same if not more impact then A Harvard doctor in a cheap ass commercial on tv …. It’s also part of an anti-intellectual movement going on etc.
oooh this is so interesting, do you have a link to the article or remember the title of the study please?
Omg I can try lol but a quick google research only give me this … it’s not quite it but still they kind of touch the subject of what work : Creativity in Advertising: When It Works and When It Doesn’t
Thank you for sharing your sentiments! I've been feeling SO MUCH internal conflict over the past few years regarding influencing. I've come to realise that I actually absolutely hate it and will not be continuing any further with it, especially in a crumbling world like??
it's so hard to continue paying attention to meaningless things 😭
I don't think it's going to die because the brands have already seen this from a mile away and started encouraging EVERYONE, no matter how small your following is, to be an influencer.
The rise of UGC creators, the outright offers for affiliate marketing by ecomm sites and brands tapping nano and microinfluencers ensured that this will be our new normal and not a passing trend because our own friends and loved ones are in it.
i love the way you say your opinion without forcing who's whatching to think your same way (even though my opinion is quite often the same as yours lol). i adore your work!! keep going girl! :))
aw tysm 🫶
Haha I deleted TikTok for this exact reason! I felt like it was just constantly watching adverts… and it was working! I was suddenly buying some much cheap tat!
I feel like we got into this mess because we let the advertising industry run wild. Why do we simply accept that in order to do anything we want-tKe a walk down the street, watch a video online, listen to a podcast, etc etc, we are inundated by literally thousands of ads per day? It became so normal to be sold stuff every minute that we collectively don’t bat an eye when even more ads show up in new forms of media. I am so sick of feeling like I’m being sold things, and 99.999% I will never buy. I never consented for my attention to be grabbed by these advertisers and the insidious overstimulation of my subconscious is an invasion of my peace of mind. I resent that we as a society allowed ourselves to become inundated, and i can only hope that the mounting resistance against being forced to consume, consume, consume, leads to a greater collective awareness and rejection of over-advertising in all forms of media.
Uffff it’s exhausting all these type of influencers. I miss the days of traditional celebrities, they have their own issues but it’s way less harming.
Yes are maybe quite elitist or out of touch but at least they are not selling us stuff all the time.
Not going anywhere. It will go through different phases but influencers are here to stay.
Until climate change cooks us all.
Influencers never felt genuine.
Thank you for bringing attention to this important issue. I really hope we see meaningful change soon.
No it’s not the end of the influencer era. When you look at data and the larger creator economy, influencers are doing quite well and will continue to for many years. You are an influencer too and are clearly trying to create a brand for yourself with all the sustainable fashion activism
funny enough i actually say in the video that i would call myself a journalist and content creator rather than an influencer, but yes i'm trying to create a brand for myself! i also say that working with brands isn't necessarily a bad thing, but ppl need to be careful about which brands they work with & vet them before partnering
@@katierobinson that’s all fine. I’m just saying anyone who thinks this is the end of the influencer era is kidding themselves. We are not even close to the end. I work in tech (Meta) and am aware of all the heavy investment that companies continue to make in this space to leverage creators further. We are going to see an even bigger boom in influencers going forward
@@dancedance182 oooh interesting, this is information I couldn't find online 😮💨I do definitely think influencers will never go away, but whether they'll pivot to a more relatable approach in the current economic crisis and whether the ones that refuse to do that may seem a drop in interest.
are u aware of exactly how companies are trying to push them more?
@@dancedance182
If you have inside knowledge, could you be persuaded to do an interview with her, maybe? Anonymously, of course. It would be so interesting, to get some insights from someone who knows what it looks like 'behind the curtain'!
Unfortunately , you really cannot rely on what you are conditioned to believe, to see what is about to come. Just because you have involvement in Meta, doesn't mean that you are aware of the bigger picture. It means you are conditioned to see what Meta wants you to see. Honestly, wake up and look beyond Meta.
so much food for thought, I love this!! it's super interesting to me that as anti consumerism creators become more and more popular, the legitimacy of their platform is almost challenged by their size?
we immediately associate a bigger follower size w increased brand partnership rates, and therefore more income! but taking on brand deals that are totally at odds w your platform will just lead to slower growth, and therefore less brand deals! it's such a vicious circle in which the brands always seem to win, unless the creator decides to opt out of pursuing wealth on the scale of consumerism driven creators.
there's a quote that's along the lines of "the difference between some ppl and their oppressors is simply the figure in their bank accounts" it's one thing to be anticapitalist when you're poor, it's a whole other thing to hold on to those principles when the wealth we're indoctrinated to yearn for is being dangled right in front of you by loreal lmao
(your videos always spark so much discussion, thank you!!)
it's definitely a paradox and something that creators have to treat carefully, working with brands that align with your vision and message is obviously totally fine but taking every brand deal under the sun is just irresponsible imo 😭 i could be rich by now if i worked with every amazon / dropshipping brand that emailed me lol
@@katierobinson facts!!
underconsumption core is basically being a student at university, where you can't afford anything and purchase little. This applies to food too, is spaghetti 5 x a week underconsumption core as well?
If you know your body shape, your skin type, your undertones, you will come to a conclusion that most products out there won't fit, won't match your persona. If you use something that is not a good match it'll cheapen your looks. This is even valid for perfumes.
yes!! I kind of spoke about this in my personal style video, it's a life hack to not wasting your money on clothes that won't suit you long-term!
I gotta say this. At the beginning of 2020 I found a lot of youtubers I found so fun and cool. As of 2024 I have either stopped watching them or they came out as being a horrible person. There are a handful of influencers I am still watching after 3 years. Artist, a few gamers, and video essayist. If I see ads I will take note of it and over time if its a lot I will unfollow or skip the ads.
The thing is There were lots genuine influencer back in time who were genuinely caring towards their followers. But then this type of capitalism comes in the scene, they overthrow those real popular influencer.
Oh the tide has definitely shifted for the influencer/content creator who was invested in fashion. this is evidenced by some of the major ones dropping out and calling foul on the brands for lying to them. I know I'm no longer interested in any of the videos talking about hauls, and coveting cetain brands that are not affordable for most. Their monitizing for those videos have decreased. Ask any of them if that was their sole income they are hurting now for sure. Its no longer lucrative. A lot of them saw the handwriing on the wall and started selling all the handbags they bought to show of their collection in these videos. You're speaking about the Elephant in the Room.
oooh do u have any examples that come to mind of major influencers dropping out / calling out brands??
@@katierobinson Sure, Nikki Sky her videos getting rid of all her luxury were all over YT. There were many more that did the same after her videos.
the brand trips were cute when there was a certain allure to influencers, that’s when the illusion worked… now it’s just like… ehh, you’re not even a nice person, trying to play mean girls to their brand trip coworkers… all while working with companies who aren’t even trying to be good people either…
Great conversation as always! Jen Luv has a video about the history of brand trips if you are interested in learning more.
i'll definitely check this out, thank you!!
9:45 I recently deleted Tik tok because of this reason. I don’t want my entire fyp to be someone trying to sell me something or some kind of ad. It’s annoying
Same here ! Had it 2020-22 but couldn’t hack the tick tock shops and reviews - especially because it was so funny and fun at the start, it reminded me of vine at beginning. It’s scary to me because alot of young people joining only know the currently ticktock and instagram
all these talking points have been discussed 10 years ago when minimalism first became popular. Nothing ever change when people don't have other things to consume their free time.
I am so glad this video came in my recommendation, I noticed the shift but India is still adjusting to this cultural shift so I hadn’t noticed an elaborate video on this topic. Although I see the shift in the kind of content I have started to consume in the last 2 years
I got tired of feeling like a target of ads on IG so I deleted it, im still on YT and twitter. Never got on tiktok out of tiredness of apps. Im def over viewing content filled with buy this or buy that. Sadly most are human billboards just posting to get that check they dont care what the effect is as long as they dont have to get a real job.
genuinely think the reaction to the influencer content i mentioned will just be logging off apps more, it's so tiring
i thought about this topic a lot in the last days! Really enjoying your profound takes on this :)
haha great minds 🤭 did u have any different thoughts than me?
Thank you so much for this incredibly researched video! What also intrigues me with Anna Paul, even though she doesn’t do brand deals, she has released a huge skincare licensing deal called Paulie, she’s likely profiting hugely from this more so than one off brand deals.
When you watch someone’s content and you never see the things they’re selling you in their videos other than the influence video I lose trust. You can always tell when someone is just selling you something because it’s a brand deal or an affiliate marketing play. They may think they’re being genuine but we can tell.
I have never understood accepting influencers pushing ads in viewers faces, and the glorification of over shopping and “hauls” like genuinely why do these people feel the need to post something they bought?? It’s just so beyond shallow and shameful
When you said “it seems like influencers are only influencing other influencers” i was so interested in what gives you that impression. I guess it could be measured by what engagement you see, but that’s extremely based on your own algorithm. Maybe by the success of the fashion companies, their stocks, or maybe even how often they are releasing new styles.
And when you said that it seems like people aren’t shopping with the world feeling like it’s ending… im just not sure how you see it - BUT this is EXACTLY what’s extremely intriguing to me - the fact that is what you see and how it seems to you and others in your audience.
I don’t have tiktok or instagram or any social media. I watch a lot of TH-cam but that’s all. I perceive basically anyone who makes videos on these apps as like an “influencer” to some degree. I’m really into streetwear and I listen to some “influencers” about brands, and I definitely feel susceptible to trying a brand that might have later been disappointing, or even brands that I initially liked *because* of the influencer (like Teddy Fresh for example).
I think the definition of an influencer can be SO vague now. As someone with no social media, I don’t perceive someone as an influencer only if it’s their full time job but if they’re good at influencing and have some interesting content and use those apps. I think it’s interesting because most people, you (very often) wouldn’t know how content is impacting them, because they don’t make content or typically comment.
There are influencers on here doing videos of their favorite influencer. Go figure
interesting comment, i'll try explain my thoughts more!!
influencers influencing other influencers: primarily what i was thinking here was the trend cycle rampant on tiktok/ insta especially and how influencers are the ones pushing it in order to create new content / work with brands, and are more likely to jump on a trend introduced by another influencer than say a regular viewer, bc it's new and exciting, or hype a trend up to be "the next big must have thing". obviously brands are complicit in this too
people aren't shopping bc world is ending: i'm definitely in two minds about this bc although i and the ppl i follow are in this camp, i'm aware there's a massive divide on the internet and some ppl are using shopping as a distraction method to cope with these feelings instead. for me, it feels pointless to keep buying clothes and supporting fast fashion when i know it's directly contributing to climate change and cutting back my consumption could make a difference
completely agree about the definition of an influencer being hard to pinpoint now and not being as cut and dry as we might think!!
Well done!!! So glad to see you educating your generation. Many of us "older" folk have been seeing this for years, but we get written off as boomers even if we aren't! 🤣 Your ability to step outside the box is inspiring , courageous and highly respected by this Gen X'er. 💕🌸
I agree that this space has changed a lot. I think there will still be influencers but won’t call themselves that anymore.
They need to stop trying to sell to us the good brands you, get and we get trash.🤷♀️
16:32 Influencer trips existed before. But instead of influencers brands would take fashion journalists to those trips. I used to work for Loreal marketing department in mid 2000s and that what we would do, invite editors from fashion magazines, so they learn about new product launch and feature it in the article.
I like to follow small
Influencers because I can relate and feel like they can be my friends vs influencers like alix Earle , her life is so luxurious and I could never have that which makes me feel bad
feel like this is going to become more and more common and maybe big influencers like Alix will ascend to a new type of role bigger than influencer?? idk, but maybe a middle ground between influencer and celeb
im just tired of being sold to on every platform. I never buy it, but im tired of scrolling through nothing but ads.
This was excellent journalism. Thank you. Subscribed xx
🫶 tyyyy
If i see influencer content online I always think of them first and foremost as a salesperson. Parasocial relationships IMO blur this to the viewer. But if they made 0 income or exposure from this product would they include it in their content? IMO its unlikely.
IMO People have just wised up to content creation being another version of a sales career, the brand is themselves and whatever they promote.
it's definitely a hard line for them to keep being genuine as they're followers increase and they get more opportunities, i'm not saying they're all inherently bad but i think they have to listen to the rising dissatisfaction from ppl sick of being sold things they don't need and reevaluate their role in the system!
@@katierobinson I think we will see more and more subtle selling (think an item on a table not being spoken about, but visible). And I think we will see the opposite very obvious product promotion, but the in between that we see more commonly i think will become less popular.
To buy products we do not need influencers. There is enough advertisement everywhere. I am sure anyone can just go to a store and see products for themselves or naturally gravitate towards brands they enjoy. I definitely feel like social media feeds became advertisements. Even just people you follow for other things starting to create content that makes you feel like you are being advertised to, or in need to compare your life to theirs. This is not healthy in my opinion, I would want to see actual value and things that actually help me or make me think. Thanks for speaking on this topic.
Zoella is still making great content! Watched lots of her vlogist videos last month.
The push products that don’t work and are way too expensive……so glad I never fell for it and I don’t follow anyone
genocide in gaza has also a lot influenced people to rethink their lifestyle and their consumerism.
hadn't considered this but I'm sure it has
This sounds like the PERFECT time for me to create content 😂😂 I can show the girls a real capsule wardrobe ❤
do it!!!!!
Influencers use to be authentic until they started getting brand deals and acting like typical commercial marketers. To stay relevant it’s probably best to being authentic and giving honest reviews on products and services. Nothing is wrong with brand deals but they should sign with companies who they actually like and enjoy their products!
agreed, i think you can always tell when someone believes in what they're promoting and stands behind it, and it definitely helps with authenticity!
We’ve been saying this for the past several years. But influencers are still influencing.
v true, but it's still fascinating to see how they're slowly changing over time and adapting their content to fit the cultural shifts 🫶
The people being influenced are roughly 19-35 years old. The rest of us are living a pretty normal life!
What an interesting and well-thought video! You definitely bring great points and fresh perspectives on a relevant topic. Congratulations!🎉
tysm
No Facebook, Instagram or twitter for me for the part 5 years! So blessed to not be a fool😊 buying things I don’t need
I do think it has definitely peaked, which is a good thing. In many spaces.
Ive never had tiktok this following random strangers and being happy thru their experiences just isnt my get down. Most these younger generations are growing up and will be doing their own things. They brought the influncers made them relavant. Now its oversaturated everyone is broke and crying. Things change then come back. Im 45 & still cant believe mom jeans came back 😂😂
tiffanyferg talks a lot about influencers and she had a recent video "the lifestyle influencer paradox" which is one of my favourite videos. she talks about her definition of influencer and some other really cool stuff (sorry my brain is mush)
Chica, que de verdad me ha gustado este video (y pienso maratonear tus demás videos también). Yo solía hacer videos sobre estos temas en mi canal de TH-cam (influencer culture, fast fashion y sostenibilidad/slow fashion), pero actualmente me he tomado una larga pausa de crear contenido. Sin embargo, creo que este video me ha motivado a volver a hablar de este tópico (no sé si en un video per se, o en un artículo de Substack) porque también tengo varias cosas que decir al respecto.
No voy a traducir este comentario al inglés, pero sí, espero que se haya entendido lo que escribí, jaja 😅 Saludos ✌🏼
haha had to google translate this 🤭 you should definitely start making content on this again if you feel inspired, pls share a link if you do!! thanks for watching 🫶
We need educational/skill share content creators
Really compelling analysis!
ty!!!
Why would you ever trust a so-called influencer or celebrity as if they're a friend in the first place? Haha that's what I don't understand.
bc they have no actual friends
Hi, very interesting video! It could also be that people are generally tired of consuming so much information/content. If you spend 6 hours or more in front of your screens, your tolerance for what the algorithm shows you (including influencers and brand deals) might sink.
yes agree!!! feel like there's a growing trend of ppl quitting social media (and ironically making content about them quitting) bc they're so tired of it all
Excellent and well researched video .... I have frequently skipped the section in videos with sponsorships and product productions . It's burdensome