Written by Morgan Forbes; edited by Madison Challis
Tiktok and other forms of social media, particularly those where video-based content dominates, can be fantastic platforms to sell on. The concept of an ‘influencer’ marketing which products and services their peers should buy into is not a new one. Chanel radicalised fashion in the 1920s by introducing a suit for women, and today it’s considered perfectly normal for girls to wear trousers. In the 80s, brands started collaborating with celebrities to promote their sportswear. Twenty years after that, it seemed that everyone had their own blog, with mothers suggesting helpful products for children, and musicians and artists sharing their best supplies. Today, social media and the online world have made it nearly impossible to escape the influences of others, and double-clicking through Apple or Google Pay has never been easier. But the biggest problem? People don’t always tell the truth.
As brand sponsorships and gifting became more commonplace, it became easier to spot certain influencers whose feelings on a product weren’t 100% genuine. Unlike Chanel’s ambitious vision for women’s fashion, some modern-day influencers don’t care so much about what they are promoting anymore; they were reading off a script and chasing a paycheck. 64% of the British public claim they have ‘lost respect’ for influencers who seem solely motivated by commercial gain (Alexander, 2023). And it can be hard to know who to trust when everyone is in your ear with different recommendations anyway. Perhaps you’re stuck choosing between NordVPN and Surfshark, because your favourite YouTubers claim both platforms offer significant discounts using their exclusive codes. Are either of them actually any good? This is where deinfluencers come in.
Deinfluencing involves spilling the hard truths about the products many influencers rave about. Real people with real opinions step in with unbiased reviews. They’ll let you know if the new Apple AirPods are worth the money, or if you can get something just as good, if not better, for less. In fact, money plays a big part in whether a person can be successfully influenced into buying a product or not. Many high-profile influencers are out of touch with reality, as they have received the products they’re promoting free of charge through sponsorships or can otherwise afford to buy them anyway. For those on an average or lesser salary, following the latest pricey skincare trends and tech recommendations isn’t easy.
Ordinary people will take the price point into consideration as they weigh up whether a product is worth it or not. If it’s simply ‘good enough’, a few pounds on a Superdrug moisturiser might be fine, but it better be damn near perfect for a £££ price tag. So-called ‘luxury’ products will use certain marketing and aesthetic techniques to draw you in — minimalistic packaging, sleek designs, and promises of an almost 100% approval rating (or your money back!). It can be easy to only consider how aesthetically pleasing a makeup item is, for example, and brush aside any issues with the quality or value for money. This is especially true when everyone around you is mindlessly buying into the same trend, but deinfluencers are here to remind you what’s really going on.
The age of excessive consumerism could be drawing to a close. Now more than ever, we share concerns for the environmental impact of throwing things away; we don’t buy something shiny and plastic without considering how quickly it will end up in a landfill. Choosing vegan or cruelty-free options when it comes to fashion and cosmetics is generally preferred, and this can deter people from buying into fast fashion trends that come and go so quickly. The same goes for avoiding clothing that comes from unethical labour practices. We’re making sensible choices for the long-term health of our bank accounts and the planet, and this newfound mentality can make it hard for an influencer to sell something that doesn’t promote this vision.
However, there are some more cynical individuals who believe that deinfluencing is still, well, influencing. After all, you are still making an impression on your viewers’ spending habits even if you’re telling them not to invest in something. Honesty is supposedly the best policy, but what can be even better is simply finding out for yourself. Read real customer reviews on restaurants before you decide to dine or skip. Head into Currys PC World to get a look at the newest smart TVs. Try on a dress in-store to see how it looks on you personally — don’t go off what an ultra-photoshopped Instagram model is sporting. Although listening to the opinions of others can be useful, many of our thoughts are subjective.
For those who do appreciate a second opinion before they buy — less they risk wasting half a pay-check — it’s always better to know the whole truth, even if it’s not the miracle product others have been led to believe in. And with any luck, the deinfluencing trend will at least stick around long enough to positively impact our views on consumerism. It could help us make better choices regarding the environment, our peers, and our finances. In 2023, nobody can deny how important it is to respect the bigger picture.
Figure 1: Tiktok search visual of deinfluencers, National World.
References
Alexander, M. (2023). ‘De-influencing: revolutionary and authentic — or just another route to overconsumption?’, Evening Standard [online]. Available at: https://www.standard.co.uk/insider/deinfluencing-trend-what-is-it-tiktok-b1062075.html (Accessed 28/02/23).
Banfield, N. (2023). ‘TikTok ‘deinfluencers’ tap into trend for saving money’, The Guardian [online]. Available at: https://amp.theguardian.com/media/2023/feb/15/tiktok-deinfluencers-trend-saving-money/ (Accessed 28/02/23).
Guest Blogger (2021). ‘A History of Social Media Influencers’, Find Your Influence [online]. Available at: https://findyourinfluence.com/a-history-of-social-media-influencers/ (Accessed 28/02/23).
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