WHAT DOES THE FUTURE HOLD FOR INFLUENCER MARKETING?
The influencer landscape is something that has always been fascinating to me, from its rapid growth paired with its constant evolution to both the positive and detrimental effect it has on consumers. I mean, we all saw that Fyre Festival documentary…
And these were all things discussed at a recent PR Week breakfast briefing, we explored the assumed responsibility to the consumer, as well as the pros and cons of social media/influencer marketing and what the future looks like.
Social media has changed lives, created jobs and opened doors into unlimited free speech giving access to unfiltered, raw news, for free. Movements like #MeToo, #BlackLivesMatter, #InstaVsReality would not exist without it, neither would meme culture.
But it hasn’t been a walk in the park. Cyber-bullying (or trolling) is at an all-time high with more and more young people suffering from mental health issues or losing their lives to suicide. These alarming facts make responsibility and ownership more important than ever.
Time and time again we have seen governing bodies like the Advertising Standards Authority remove Influencer posts or adverts that are misleading or potentially harmful. Most recently, fashion retailers Missguided and boohoo were banned from sharing an ad that told their customers to ‘send nudes’, with complaints that it objectified women.
The question of responsibility when it comes to fast fashion retailers like boohoo, who do have a much younger, impressionable and loyal following, is based on morality. It’s morally wrong to make young people think they have to be a certain size to look good in clothes or look a certain way. And as more and more people share their outrage on these topics and the need for change, using movements like #InstaVsReality, we are slowly starting to see the welcome change in the brands themselves as well as in society and culture. There are more plus-sized models being supported by global brands as well as more variety in sizes for their clothes. More people are speaking out about their struggles, sharing their journeys and there is a wider acceptance for ‘difference’.
Ultimately, we’re on a constantly evolving journey when it comes to social media and influencer marketing. And the best advice for brand marketers is to keep on board the ride as the future of influencer marketing is one that will undoubtedly focus on finding the happy medium between responsibly authentic and raw, honest content.
- Chloe Mugwangi