Influencers: MPs call for better protection for TikTok stars INFLUENCER MPs will today call for greater action to be taken in advertising and employment rules to protect children and online performers, arguing that regulation has failed to keep pace with the growth of online influencer culture.
Meet Shein: The secretive Chinese fast-fashion firm taking over online retail Meet Shein: The secretive Chinese fast-fashion firm taking retail by storm Taking the Tube at the minute can still, at times, feel like time travel. Around you are slightly tattered posters for theatre productions that haven’t been on stage for more than a year; ads for movies touted for cinema release that ended up quietly released to Netflix with little fanfare. Amongst these relics of a [...]
MPs launch inquiry into power of social media influencers MPs launch inquiry into power of social media influencers MPs have launched an inquiry into the power of influencers amid concerns about a lack of regulation over how social media stars promote products online. Influencers have been gaining prominence in recent years thanks to the continued growth of social media use and the popularity of hit reality shows such as Love Island. But they [...]
‘Beanz on bix for breakfast’ boosts brand scores for Weetabix and Heinz February 17, 2021 Last week, an "unholy union" of Weetabix and Heinz - featuring "beanz on bix for breakfast" - prompted popular outcry on social media.
Screenshot: How Reddit shone a light on the madness of markets January 29, 2021 This week **Media Moment of the Week: Das ist Numberwang! **How Redditors beat the market at its own game **Do influencers need a rebrand? Media Moment of the Week: Das ist Numberwang! This week’s media moment is one that journalists the world over would probably rather forget but, being the intrepid media reporter that I [...]
Under the influence: How reality stars’ Dubai trips could sink social media marketing January 27, 2021 While online fitness guru Sheridan Mordew has undoubtedly succeeded at influencing people, she may be struggling to make friends. When the social media influencer, who posts workout videos for her thousands of online followers, insisted that her much-documented trip to Dubai was essential business travel, she was met with little sympathy. In fact, Mordew is [...]
A virtual what? Humans prefer their influencers to have real pulses January 23, 2021 At last week’s annual tech expo CES, consumer electronics giant LG decided not to use a company executive or celebrity to present its latest products during its live-streamed keynote speech. Instead, it opted for a social media influencer called Reah Keem. The notable thing about Keem is not her follower count — she only has [...]
The making of Chris Kamara: How ex-footballer went from lads and dads’ hero to prime time national treasure November 27, 2020 As a football player and later a manager, Chris Kamara forged a successful if, by some standards, unspectacular career in an unfashionable era. England recognition never arrived, and his biggest victories came outside a top division that had not yet become the millionaires’ playground of today. More than two decades since he left the game, [...]
When it comes to influencer fraud, the buck stops with Facebook February 24, 2020 Influencer fraud is one of the biggest headaches facing marketers today. As an industry, influencer marketing was worth an estimated £6bn last year, and is forecast to reach £12bn by 2022. Its breakneck growth is largely due to the parallel rise in fortunes of social media giant Instagram. The Facebook-owned platform is home to most [...]
Virtual influencers pose ethical dilemmas for the ad industry October 28, 2019 Last month, I reported on the rise of virtual influencers – fake online personalities created using computer-generated imagery and controlled by brands or media agencies. The most famous example is Lil Miquela, a fictional character invented by LA-based studio Brud. “She” has 1.7m followers on Instagram, has appeared in a Calvin Klein commercial alongside the [...]