Are Influencers the new Celebrities?

Or are they just imposters that make Instagram reels and have unreal expectations.

Mrunal Panchal gets chummy with Selena Gomez

Is our dependence on influencers to get Instagram followers harming our brand?

The growing celebrity status of influencers is proving to be dangerous for brands. Especially because brands are excessively dependent on influencers to increase followers on Instagram or to get more likes and views for their products. Not only do influencers charge a bomb for their services, but they also expect to be treated like royalty.

Influencer behaviour and quality is going from bad to worse, mainly because when everyone is an influencer, no one is an influencer. Here are some ways in which influencers are making the Instagram space more and more toxic by the day!

The Freebie Culture

Influencers do not want to pay for ANYTHING!

Despite the fact that influencers make lakhs for a single story or reel they post for brands they want everything to be given to them on a barter basis. From clothes to hotel stays to the food they eat; they want everything to just fall in their laps. They won’t pay you in cash, they will pay you in posts. All you can expect from them in return for your product or services, is a meek story or mention. Sometimes, sadly not even that!

Thankless with no Sense of Responsibility

Influencers have borrowed the sourcing culture from Celebrities. If they have an invitation to a high-end event or red carpet – their team will call you to send in options. Not just you, they will call 10 designers and ask them for 100 styles. Needless to say, the influencer will end up wearing any one of the curated options and do you get a tag for it? No! But you can take screenshots from their page and post in hopes to increase likes on Instagram (yes, most of the time they are not even courteous enough to give you high-resolution shots of your outfit) or beg their manager to at least tag the brand!

Another major concern is how badly they use the product, sometimes the clothes come back dirty or torn, and sometimes they don’t come back at all!

Promoting Unhealthy Products and Behaviour

Influencers are enjoying celebrity status but sadly they don’t have the same high standards that celebrities maintain. They promote products with no regard to public health or wellness. As long as they are getting paid, they will promote just about anything. They make Instagram reels for brands and say exactly what the brand wants them to, the more detailed you want them to go the more money they will charge and for the right amount they will even lie for brands.

Setting bad body image and Unrealistic Standards

When you see an influencer’s reel tab, you will get a sense that they lead the most glamorous of lives. They have the best clothes and the latest cars and great gadgets; hence most teenagers want to follow their lifestyle. Little do they know, influencers live a life based on barter and freebies, this lifestyle is a myth – an illusion created to get Instagram followers. Their clear skin come from filters and their slim waistlines from photoshop. We as individuals should not support the fake standards they set. It’s nothing but a trap.