A trusted voice
THE INFLUENCER game is nothing new. As far back as the early 1900s, the Fox Gun company won the official endorsement of Theodore Roosevelt, who wrote a glowing letter of recommendation for the firearm, which was later published as an advertorial in Scribner’s Magazine. This was no easy feat. Roosevelt wasn’t known for giving away endorsements on a whim, and he certainly wouldn’t have done it unless he really believed in the product.
Fast-forward around 100 years, and the influencer tradition continues. However, in lieu of earnest letters written by presidents, we now have 16-year-olds broadcasting their make-up tips to millions of fans across the world—and brands are increasingly tagging along for the ride, paying handsome sums for so-called “authentic endorsements”. It’s easy to see why this seems an attractive opportunity to brands. It comes with the promise of immediacy, measurability and scale that can be difficult to match. But promises don’t always live up to the expectations, and there are a few cracks starting to show around the influencer space.
Influencer faux pas, issues around transparency and exorbitant fees (Kylie Jenner charged Kiwi entrepreneur Iyia Liu $300,000 for a single post) are all starting to pose serious questions about the modern influencer machine.
It could be
