SELFHOOD on: Actually influencing
by Kyra Clement
Photo by Good Faces on Unsplash
It probably comes as no surprise that 73% of our Next Gen collective admitted to purchasing something as a result of an online influencer. However, it appears their trust is waning, as our feeds become oversaturated with promotional content.
As Collective member Beatriz Martinho, 24, put it: “nowadays it seems like everyone is selling everything. I’ll see influencers promoting the most random things and in my head I’m like…are you really using these?”
We have to remember; this is the generation that grew up with fake news and filters - it’s no wonder they have trust issues. Their innate suspicion has made them excellent bullshit detectors and Gen Z can sniff out a disingenuous ad a mile off.
Seeing #ad in a post usually sets off the alarm bells and according to 64% of our collective voters, makes them trust it less.
So how should brands approach this?
By going for quality over quantity and collaborating with influencers that actually make sense. There is nothing more tragic than seeing an influencer promote a product they clearly do not use. You know it’s gone too far when the TikTok parodies begin.
We asked our collective members, ‘who is doing influencing right?’ and got back a range of responses, with fashion and beauty a clear focal point.
The transparency and honesty of @gracebeverly was highlighted as a key factor to why the once fitness influencer, now CEO and all-round boss commands the trust of Gen Z. Similarly, Instagram’s beloved sex and relationship expert @oloni was praised for her candidness and relatability with @onlybells and @monldn receiving a similar appraisal. Despite the doubters, one name was on everybody’s lips: Molly-Mae Hague. Some went as far as describing her as ‘generation defining’ and ‘the people’s influencer’.
So what is it that differentiates these influencers from the rest in the eyes of Gen Z?
Authenticity is a clichéd term but that doesn’t make it any less true. Molly-Mae doesn’t pretend to be anything she’s not and her honestly shines through her social channels. She advertises Pretty Little Thing by actually wearing their clothes out and about and making them look good. No gimmicks or trickery - a refreshing change from the stanny “teeth whitening and skinny tea” influencer graft. Her consistent aesthetic is not disrupted by the odd product endorsement because they actually make sense.
The best ads on Instagram are the ones that blend so seamlessly with a creator’s content that you barely notice it’s an ad.
Collective member Bartek, 24, spoke from his own experience having been inundated with brands wanting to work with him, having amassed over 500k followers on TikTok with his irreverent cooking tutorials. He referenced a recent partnership with George Foreman grills as a perfect example of when it just feels right.
“When I first started off, I would literally accept anything ‘cause I was gassed that brands wanted to work with me. I quickly learnt that this wasn’t the way to go about it as my branded content wouldn’t do as well as my regular content. Now, I’ll only say yes to a brand if I would genuinely use it myself and I’m excited to work with them. My branded videos follow the same structure as my normal ones, so they need to be cool with me structuring the ad how I want, so it doesn’t look odd and out of place.”
He added “Ads shouldn’t blatantly be ads, it should be the same content you’re putting out anyway”.
Brands must exercise similar caution - being extremely selective with the talent they are paying for. Finding that perfect fit is much more than just throwing cash at anyone with a following, and it’s clear that the consequences of getting it wrong will do more harm than good amongst the very audience that brands are seeking to gain credibility with.