Are we buying products or personalities?
Have you ever been casually scrolling through TikTok and by the time you’re done scrolling, you suddenly want a new product you’ve never even considered buying? If the answer is yes- you are not alone. Social media influencers have changed the game of advertising, we used to turn to magazines or television for inspiration but now we can’t avoid it. Influencers have a unique way of marketing themselves and the products they sell. They heavily link their brands, or the products they use, to who they are and the lifestyle they live. We are constantly exposed to advertising whenever we log on to social media; we can even be sold a product and we don’t even know with the rise of undisclosed advertising. For me this raised an interesting question: Are consumers actually buying products because they need or want them, or are they buying into the personalities and lifestyles associated with those products? I’d argue that modern advertising sells an identity rather than just a product. Influences have changed the game because consumers aren’t interested in what they use but also who they are.
The evolution of advertising:
Traditional advertising used to focus on explaining why a product was worth purchasing, they’re affordability, quality and convenience. Today advertising looks a lot different, social media has allowed brands to not just promote a product but who uses them. Consumers might see their favorite influencer use a product in their morning routine and instead of focusing on if the product does something they need or want they associate it with that influencer’s success. Consciously or subconsciously wondering if they purchase the same product maybe they will achieve the same lifestyle? Since algorithms are adjusted to your interest this makes advertising less of a sales pitch and instead a personal recommendation tailored to you. Brands understand this consumption shift and intentionally rely on certain influencers to reach specific audiences. A study from Pew Knight initiative shows that 1 in 4 people say online communities deeply add to their lives. A brand personality– (set of human characteristics and emotional traits attributed to a brand) helps consumers relate and connect to a brand.
When authenticity becomes a marketing strategy:
One of the biggest reasons influencer marketing is successful is the emotional connection consumers develop with the people they follow. Over time consumers may develop a sense of familiarity with influencers even if they’ve never met them. This is often classified as parasocial relationships– which are one sided emotional connections people develop with media personalities. Something I find interesting is the contradictions in the way influencer marketing uses authenticity as an advertising strategy itself. The consumer turns to influencers because they feel like they can trust them and the influencer genuinely enjoys these products, while the influencer receives compensation, free products/ PR and other incentives. This can cause distrust in influencer marketing, brands recognize this so they encourage influencers to approach their advertising as casual and natural. Consider a brand like Rhode Skin or Parke hoodies. The personalities and public images associated with these brands make their attractiveness not the actual quality of the product. For example Rhode Skin- Founder Hailey Bieber is associated with “healthy habits, clear skin, minimalist style” So the consumers who admire her associate obtaining her skincare product’s with being more like Hailey Bieber
So, what are we actually buying?
Although influencer marketing can introduce genuinely good products, it makes it easier for advertising to blend into everyday entertainment. I challenge us as consumers to try to be more aware of the difference between wanting something or wanting the lifestyle we associate with it.
Sources used:
Sources:
https://itismandystyle.com/blog/is-hailey-bieber-a-boring-woman-what-is-her-personality-really-like
