Every time I scroll on Tik Tok, without fail, I come across an influencer trying to sell me something. Whether it’s obvious or not, you can tell they’re being paid or given products to tell their followers about, convincing us we NEED this product in our lives.The truth is, you most likely don’t.
These influencers are able to create a problem you didn’t know you had, solve it with their must-have magical product, and sell it to you, all in one three-minute video, ending in… you guessed it… profit for them!
While not all influencers create videos (ads) like this, this content is becoming more common, and it’s important to know what to look out for.
I think at this point, products like the infamous $40 Stanley Cup and “Bloom Nutrition” greens have become almost meme-like for their prevalence on Tik Tok and how much influencers are pushing them, while real consumers point out the fatal flaws in the product.
Many creators now known for “de-influencing” and working to point out influencers that are just attempting to sell as many products as they can are also highlighting the unsustainable nature of this practice. Pushing the idea that you need to buy more and more and more is also harming our environment. De-influencers are working to highlight conscious consumerism practices.
Overall, I hope this trend sticks around. I think that by growing up with the internet, we now understand that selling products is a pivotal role of being an influencer, and it is common to come across videos where influencers are promoting a product; however, it has gotten out of hand. When we see influencers falsifying results from a certain product or deceiving a loyal following, issues begin to arise. I think by practicing conscious consumerism and remembering to not always just take one person’s “word for it,” we can protect ourselves and our wallets and hopefully end this deceptive practice.