A
social media influencer was refused free accommodation in return of positively
reviewing some hotel. Instead of sucking it up, she took to YouTube to attack
the hotel owner, accusing him of nothing less than exposing her – even
though he never disclosed her name – and shaming every person who doesn’t
support her chosen lifestyle.
An
entitled child throwing a hissy fit shouldn’t be news worthy – unless said
child is the President of the United States – but this story sheds the light on
the industry of influencers.
The
hotel owner dubbed the whole controversy bloggergate. Personally I would
have called it influencer gate. The distinction isn’t without a
difference for it isn’t simply a question of semantics. A line should be drawn
between bloggers and self-proclaimed influencers who don’t seem to have a real
grasp of their irrelevance.
Being
a social media influencer is predominantly about flaunting designers’
items, reviewing accessories and cafés, sharing meaningless stories about their
lives, ranting and whining, filming shopping hauls and encouraging viewers to
buy mostly fashion products using affiliate links and codes, and promoting
online stores. Basically it’s a glamorous form of a commercial short movie
where the model/actress keeps repeating her opinion is objective. The main
difference with a traditional commercial is that the product’s promotion
happens through the constant self-promotion of the influencer. To put it in a
nice way, it’s all about the talent of being a living, breathing and convincing
ad.
In
her email to the White Moose Café’s owner, the influencer – who shall not be
named in this article for I refuse to give her any publicity – writes: last
year I worked with Universal Orlando in Florida and it’s been amazing for them.
Yes, you’ve got it right! Her posting about Universal Orlando on her social
media outlets had been beneficial for the world renowned hotel. She can’t
actually believe it. Delusion might get you elected President of The United
States; it’s sure as hell not letting stay at the White Moose for free!
In
her seeking for attention and subscribers video in which she exposes herself as
the unnamed social influencer Paul V Stenson rightfully roasted on his
Facebook page, the influencer rants about her ordeal, her sadness, anger and
humiliation for being called a freeloader and defends her actions. In her own
words, she works as a social media influencer, the one job that gave her
a purpose in life, and three minutes into the video you feel like you’re
in her debt. A real mouthpiece of her kind, she unravels in self-victimization
and conceited allegations of kindness and altruism: She’s loading on freebies
and whining only to help people and raise awareness about luxury.
Honey, if you’re such a humanitarian, volunteer at a shelter! The designers’
bags don’t really shout magnanimous!
It
gets really rich when she starts attacking old people, her denomination
for people over thirty. Apparently old people don’t necessarily
understand the social media world. Honey, your twenty two year-old self
didn’t invent sponsorship and endorsements! And sure as hell it did not invent
the concept of reaching fame through self-promotion! Indeed, the woman who
could claim she invented self-promotion as we know it, or at least claim that
she refined, made it truly revenue generating and a profitable lifestyle is
forty years the influencer’s senior and her name is Kris Jenner. Let’s
not fool ourselves. There is no difference whatsoever between what Kris Jenner
achieved through her daughters and what most of these social media
influencers aim to achieve.
Social
media influencers benefit from a popular culture that celebrates the
Kardashians, a clan where no one has any talent or ability worth aiming a
camera at, yet where everyone is a bigger than life celebrity. Adhering to the
Kris Jenner School of self-promotion is allowing influencers to become
relevant, if relevance is defined by someone’s ability of making star struck
teenagers buy their dresses from a specific online store or listen to a ten
minutes rant about relationship drama.
Choosing
a nontraditional lifestyle, looking for opportunities and fighting for one’s
dream is something I respect. I’ve never been one for traditional lifestyle or
career but their dream is turning into a whole generation’s nightmare.
Comments
Post a Comment