At what point are influencers responsible for the products they promote?
Following the Fyre Festival fiasco, consumers are starting to wonder when influencers become responsible for the products they promote. Here Edge’s junior media coordinator, Isabella Ziino takes a look into one of the most sensational content marketing swandives of our times.
Is this the real life?
Is this just fantasy?
Caught in a landslide,
No escape from reality.
Thank you, Queen, for these wise words that perfectly summarise the present situation. First up, no, influencers on Instagram endorsing untested and misleading products aren’t real life.
Yes, it is just a fantasy. And there was no escaping reality for Billy McFarland when thousands of people rocked up to the not-so-luxurious Fyre Festival on an island in the Bahamas in April 2017.
I’m sure everyone is familiar with the Fyre Festival fiasco, but if you’ve managed to avoid the #fyrestorm, here is a quick recap:
I suspected once burned twice shy will apply now.
Its only slightly surprising influencers didn’t do sufficient due diligence this time. They will likely ask their agents about the fine print next time.
One thing to note about this is the kind of influencer they are. There is a big difference between and influencer who is famous mainly for physical beauty, and say a youtuber who has built up a reputation for being a trustworthy consumer advocate.
If your brand is being attractive and you make a mistake like this – you are still attractive and marketable. If your brand is trustworthiness and you make a mistake like this….
I don’t even understand how this question can be asked.
Anyone born after 1960 has experienced pervasive advertising their entire life.
Instagrammers are no different to any other “personality” paid to advertise on TV or elsewhere – they just happen to write and produce their own content instead of appearing on someone else’s show.
To expect them to somehow bear responsibility for false advertising promises is ludicrous. They’re obviously just a mouthpiece.
Blame the culprit, sure…but the talent? Ridiculous
I have to agree with Herr Spliegel on this one. I don’t understand how this can be blamed on the models/talent.
Fyre Festival was a scam co-ordinated by McFarland. He’s a criminal. He committed fraud, money laundering and more.
The festival was never going to happen, from the beginning, for this reason. It’s not like it began and then went downhill. The whole thing was a lie from the start.
The models and talent were doing their job. It’s not their fault they were working for a criminal.