Tag: influencer

Categories
Fashion

Fronting and Fake

Fake

Fronting: Acting like you are more, or you have more, than what really exists.


Fake: is a word to describe people who aren’t themselves in order to gain friends and end up being more popular. They seem very nice to everyone, yet trash-talks them behind their back in order to get attention from people and make “friends” just to improve their social-status.


Shameless display of wealth entered a new dimension with the advent of social media, especially with Instagram. A post is not just a post, a picture is a digital brand. Fronting the fabulous life gives cred to the IG generation, living the Kardashian life. The economic reality behind the filtered smile, a lack of cash to sustain the image. Shopping, shopping, shopping for a designer bag, the latest sneaker, that brilliant fuchsia piece takes money. Bill Gates is now divorced, available, but the tech mogul does not want a clothes horse on his arm.

A TikTok post from a luxury retailer sales person revealed the hard truth. Fronting is mainstream and has reached the top. According to the sales person, people buy items, post them, then return the clothes to the store. Is this behavior new? NO! The past few years, there have been stories about “Instagram Returns”. Customers buy, wear, post, take back to the store. A generation go wearing something then brazenly returning was considered low to no class. In the 21st century, embarrassment is an outdated concept. Attention seeking knows no bounds.

One Saks Fifth Avenue shopper complained the high-end clothing mecca feels more like a thrift store, with many pieces on the store shelf looking worn.

Faking and fronting is contagious.

Categories
Fashion

STILL, NOPE!

WHY? 

There is no fun in posting the pictures. What was once sharing experiences has turned into narcissism and greed. A digital feel good pill for those desiring “Z Level” fame. Perhaps it is because I had a life and travelled before the platform existed. Showing  “I am living a great fake life” borders on insane. Carefully curated pictures demonstrating fake joy reminds of the 1970’s sitcom “Brady Bunch”. During my college days people like this were called “MGM”. Meaning, they were fake.

My problem, I hate curating perfect experiences.  I am a what you see is what you get character, loving faults. On Instagram being yourself means a filter, photoshop, and rehearsing.

Pills 

Instagram has become a place of Prozac Reality. I cringe at some of poses and postings. The extremes people will do to get attention. A space to give those with no talent, appeal, experience, a chance to find popularity. The past two weeks, there were 3 Instagram Influencer scandals. I looked over the accounts of the three “None Appealing Fame Seekers”.

Lost on me!  If I saw any of them on the street I would not look twice. How and why they have thousands of followers escapes me. Most certainly a click farm service in Thailand has their credit card details. Just Saying! Sadly, one of the above Influencer scandal will involve jail time for “Glaming it Up” with a fake credit card. 

Still have not returned to the site, I check it, like a few pictures by friends.   During a campaign I asked my friends to like an images. But for most I am happy to stay off. Life is too short trying to be a full time Carol Brady. Sharing was once fun but evolved into silly, tragic, exhausting, and horrific.

Black and Paper stopped placing content on Instagram. This article was triggered by the site of an “Influencer” who photoshops pictures menus 8 kilos.

Categories
Feature

Buy Fab! Return Later!


Inside many of us lurks an Elisabeth Taylor trying to get out. Glamour requires the right clothing. Everyone wants to lead a glamorous life. Getting the right looks are a part of the formula, overcoming the obstacle of costs is simple: buy today, wear tomorrow, return the day after tomorrow.  

During Fashion Weeks the “outfit of the day” is crucial for getting noticed by street style photographers. Dressing like a brand groupie gets the shutters clicking while standing outside the show. Getting the attention of a Getty or Vogue Photographer is the ultimate badge for an Instagram post. The lust to appear a part of the “in” crowd. I have often asked how do some afford looks and pieces. They can’t.  All a part of the plan to keep up an appearance, to get noticed. Look at what I am wearing! 

Buy the latest bags, coats and other pieces online or for those bold enough, at a store. Wear it once with the tags carefully pinned inside, show off the fashionista devotion, the fabulousness. Then return for a full refund. The style of a legend does not come cheap but can be obtained during a return policy window. “OOTD”  went to the next evolutionary level. 

Buying online from one of the many high end portal sites is the easiest and most face saving way to become an instant luxury label horse. The return polices are liberal, the reason for not wanting the purchase; no excuse needed.  

Not everything worn is real or even owned. 

Categories
Feature

Our Anniversary

Life is Good

It has been over one year. We quit Instagram to the chagrin of many. Why? Insanity? Lack of followers? How would we survive in an age when so many believe in oversharing? Many thought this action was insane. Amazing how fast time flies. We are still here and doing ok, Instagram Free. 

I can appreciate the amount of time many “influencers” spend on one picture, the interaction with their fans, self esteem based on comments and likes.

However, Black and Paper decided not become a slave to the algorithm system that manipulates insecurities for a smidgen of fame. The joy of sharing overshadowed by digital narcissism. The quest for quick popularity moving as fas as a stroll on a screen. Thriving to show a life not lived, but more about projecting a fantasy in constant branding mode. I wonder how many selfies can a person post? How many selfies can a person see in day? If one scrolls fifty pictures, is the first image recalled?

One Year On! 

After one year, speaking to many professional media people about influencing and influencers there are still questions, many have doubts about how it works or if it works. But fear of missing out drives them. Opinions seem split where the Instagram Hype will go? Some say, “the bubble will pop.” While others firmly believe it will stay and evolve. The verdict is still out.

On a level I recognize the merit of the medium. For the impressionable, for certain products, these consumers look to influencers. Hyper consumption, buy today, wear 7 times, then throw away to buy new, this is the market for influencing, quantity over quality.

Black and Paper philosophy is “buy something that will last”. Have we considered returning to Instagram? No! Imagine spending 1 hour for a post, only 35 likes. We jumped off the merry go round and never looked back. 

Categories
Fashion Interview

A Quick Interview in Milan

During Milan Fashion Week it was refreshing to meet a person who appreicuates and supports fashion designer . A “fashion influencer” is a person who goes to shows and posts endless selfies with freebies from brands.  How many “Influencers” really support designers or brands?

Meeting Briana Linea of  Instagram  account “Fashion_Fridays”, 330.000 followers, was refreshing.  An “Influencer” with business insights promoting new designers, introducing them to retailers, and giving professional advice.

Did she convince me to return to Instagram? HA! 

Side Note: It was really hot that day. The Sparkling Wine was needed.

Stay Tuned for Part 2. 

https://www.instagram.com/fashion__fridays/

Sponsored by Canon Camera. Werbung.

Categories
Fashion Feature

Influencer, HOW?

Trust Issues! 

Has the influencer trend come to an end?   Not sure, but change is taking place. Influencer marketing earned 1 billion in 2017 but the shine is beginning to tarnish. Marketing survey firm Bazaarvoice released findings concluding consumers are growing tired of staged posts by paid influencers.  Many of the surveyed responded the quality of the postings are turn offs, repetitive posts lacking originality.

Asked, 63 percent felt influence content has become too “materialistic” and “misrepresents real life.” There is a feeling authenticity has been lost.  As well, 49 percent feel there is a need for tighter regulation of online posts.

Authorities on both side of the Atlantic have now started scrutinizing the influencer field. The United States Government Agency, The Federal Trade Commission has issued issued warning letters concerning paid posts without proper disclosing.  no enforcement has been enacted, yet. European Agencies agencies have actively notified influencers to delete undisclosed post. Many have lost court cases

Recently Dior made a social media splash by seeding the brand’s Saddle Bag to fashion influencers.

Dior Saddle Bag Social Media Success but at What Price

 The stunt felt cheap. Don’t get me wrong. I am a fan of the brand.  Creative Director Maria Grazia Chiuri won me over after the second collection. Openly giving away a $2000 bag on Instagram then expecting everyone else to pay, TACKY for a prestige fashion brand.

This is Social Media Pandering. Influencers who got the “freebie” did not even try to make good images of gift.  Pictures posing with the “trendy item of the season” were laughable, others cringeworthy. To add insult, lacking originality or fashion knowledge, there were plentiful but standard Junior High School Newspaper captions: “So happy to have gotten my Dior Saddle Bag”, “Love my Saddle Bag”.  An aspirational accessory felt like a retread jacket from H&M.   I hope “Fashion Degradation” does not go lower.

Social Media stars have become new celebrities, but if you ask what is their talent or appeal, the answer raises more questions: How does an app filter make a star?   How does an app filter make an expert?   I think we are still lost but going with the flow. 

Categories
Fashion

Is the Party Over!

Very recently there has been an upheaval in the media and social media world. Has the time of accountability in influencer marketing arrived? Global consumer company advertiser Unilever made a shot across the bow announcing there needs to be more transparency, less bots and false likes. At Cannes Lions, marketing head Keith Weed insisted on more honesty from both the influencers and social media platforms, especially Instagram. If a man in charge of an $8 billion annual ad budget speaks, media listens. By taking a stand against the fraudulent side of the influencer business, Weed deserves our applause. The international brand will no longer work with influencers buying engagement. The open secret is now out. Denial is no longer an option.

Black and Paper quit the sharing site in 2017 due to our lack of trust on the site. How do the algorithms work? Why are certain profiles promoted more than others? There are so many questions unanswered. Many wannabe influencers have no choice, turning to bots for relevance. Trust or authenticity are out the window. $1.000 buys 100.000 followers, all fake!

Influencer marketing has it benefits. There are genuine influencers who work hard and have skills, but the field has now been taken over by greed.  The desire for freebies.  Influencer news of late has been negative,         The Atlantic reported on five star hotel resorts flooded with requests for free rooms from everyone with an Instagram account. The travel influencer who posted photo shopped images of himself in locations, another article reported on the level of false comments on certain post as high as 70%.  The thirst is real! Earning upwards of $5000 a posting would tempt anyone.

Is it any wonder why Black and Paper stopped using Instagram? We got support from some, treated like herpes from others but the journey continues.

Thank you Unilever, happy to know we are on the same side.