A Wren Says

The term I learned today? Deinfluencing. It refers to a backlash against influencer marketing. People have grown tired of viral products, sponsored posts, and disengenous product recommendations. Luxury brands are now pivoting away from their current influencer strategy towards something that connects better. 

When the so-called influencer came about, or was sought after by marketing teams, it was likely because of their credibility. They spent time developing fan bases. Though they were distant and behind a screen, they were seen as friends. Someone you could trust, much more like you than the celebrities of Hollywood. With that came credibility and authenticity. Their recommendations were much more real. They existed somewhere in between word of mouth marketing and celebrity endorsers. In either case, they could be trusted. 

Fast forward to now, where it seems everyone has a Hello Fresh, Better Help, or Gymshark partnership, and seems much more about the money. Rather than a conversation between friends, their recommendations remind us of the push of capitalism. I want to know what to buy, but I don’t want it to be obvious that you are telling me to buy it. It’s tricky but there is a difference. 

From the article I read, it seems that brands are scaling back and reaching out to creators with smaller followings, those with niche interests, and people who have multiple skill sets to offer brands. Personally, I am looking forward to seeing how these new strategies are executed across the industry. More importantly, I am looking forward to the creativity that will come of this new approach. But more importantly, I just want fewer #Ads all over my feeds and more genuine product experiences.  

This is the article I referenced:  

Chitrakorn, K. (April 4, 2023). What the anti-influencer movement means for luxury. Vogue Business. https://www.voguebusiness.com/companies/what-the-anti-influencer-movement-means-for-luxury-fashion