Social media stars court ad backlash
Instagrammers, Snapchatters and Facebookers could turn against social media celebrities who are paid to advertise products online.
One expert says the business of paying social media celebrities to promote a brand or product is growing in New Zealand, but the content sticks out like a sore thumb.
Iyia Liu, the founder of fitness product companies Waist Trainer New Zealand Australia and Luxe Fitness, said social media would soon become crowded with brand representatives, and if they promoted products too much they could lose popularity.
‘‘However, if you do not like it, do not follow the influencer. So it would be in the influencer’s best interest not to overdo it.’’
Liu said an influencer’s photo or video of themselves using and endorsing a product was probably not fooling New Zealanders into purchasing it immediately.
Influencer marketing boosted brand exposure and benefited future sales, she said.
Liu made millions from her two former businesses that paid celebrities such as Kylie Jenner up to $300,000 to post a photo on social media wearing her fitness products.
She said influencer marketing had rapidly become popular because it was cheap but effective when audiences were using social media daily.
New Zealanders with thousands of Instagram followers, such as former The Bachelor New Zealand star Arthur Green, cancer survivor Jessica Quinn and artist Andrew Steel, have cashed in on the trend.
Olympic freestyle skier and social media influencer Anna Willcox said promoting a product while not genuinely endorsing it was obvious to audiences.
Willcox said she preferred to advertise products she used or liked, regardless of the pay cheque.
‘‘There is a thirst for rawness, truth and honesty in this filtered world of ours.’’
She said Kiwis were adapting to local celebrities posting paid advertisements online.
‘‘People realise that these individuals need to pay bills just like the next person.’’
The Social Club founder Georgia McGillivray said New Zealand’s market for such advertising was maturing but was not yet on par with Australia and the United States.
Her startup company has aligned 300 brands with more than 2300 social media influencers in New Zealand. Its two-way online marketplace is similar to a modelling website, allowing brands to find people to promote campaigns, products or services via social media.