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Fair or Foul? Instagram Watch Influencers

clundp
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Fair or Foul?

There is an Instagram watch "influencer" and fellow Omegaforum member (no names) that gets free watches from Zodiac and others, posts a picture, then sells the watch to fund future purchases. Is this fair or foul?

My take - as a brand owner I used to send free product to Instagram influencers but I quickly found out that it did little to nothing. Most would post 1 picture that would get lost in their feed. Others wouldn't even post at all. So now I wait till it's someone with a certain amount of "influence" or it is someone that is genuinely passionate about my brand. IMHO this is not very cool to do. They are obviously entitled to sell because it's their property, but it's distasteful. FOUL

What do you think?
 
Dan S
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The whole notion that "IG influencer" is now a career goal is incredibly pathetic to me, so I'm happy to hear that you're not supporting it. Obviously it's not surprising that people who engage in this would be tacky enough to sell the products they receive.

Of course, this is not really a new dynamic. You probably saw Stallone pimping his gifted Panerai watches at auction. I guess IG is just democratizing this behavior.
 
Scooterino36
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In poor taste in my opinion. A follower giveaway would probably be the better route. But I’m not on Instagram so what do I know.
 
Shabbaz
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I'm big on Insta. It's really difficult to be so popular. I get at least 3 likes a day and it keeps growing and growing. I might hit 4 someday. It's good to be the king.
 
Screenshot_20210902-190143_Instagram.jpg
MtV
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Shabbaz Shabbaz
I'm big on Insta. It's really difficult to be so popular. I get at least 3 likes a day and it keeps growing and growing. I might hit 4 someday. It's good to be the king.

You’re cheating. I’ve just liked your post and it’s like #6. So don’t pretend you’d only get 3 likes my friend - you’re close to being an influencer yourself!
 
rcs914
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So there is a right way and a wrong way to do stuff like this. If you want to see the gold standard of the "Right way" to review and test things, there are two non-watch entities that come to mind, both of with are on Youtube - the first is Project Farm. Accepts no sponsorships at all, pays for all tested items out of pocket with donations from Patreon, and has rigorous testing methodologies to compare products.

The second is more well rounded in topic discussion, as long as the topic is anything related to coffee, and that is James Hoffman. He accepts no equipment from sponsors for testing, and will wait till he can buy it himself. All tested equipment is then won by backers of his Patreon, since they are the ones that allow him to go out and buy the equipment.

I realize this is tangential to what you were originally stating, but basically anyone who receives product for free in exchange for a review, even if they state the reviews are honest, still has an interest in not "biting the hand that feeds them".
 
clundp
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Shabbaz Shabbaz
I'm big on Insta. It's really difficult to be so popular. I get at least 3 likes a day and it keeps growing and growing. I might hit 4 someday. It's good to be the king.
LOLLLL I'm following you immediately 👍
 
Dan S
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Shabbaz Shabbaz
I'm big on Insta. It's really difficult to be so popular. I get at least 3 likes a day and it keeps growing and growing. I might hit 4 someday. It's good to be the king.

I just liked your Yema. 👍
 
jsducote
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"Influencer" ranks only slightly higher than "Texas Legislator" in terms of respectability, so I lose no sleep over whatever karmic retribution awaits them. Someone influenced by a single picture of a product given with the expectation of a positive review? Slightly lower, in my estimation.

Looks like I picked the right day to never join instagram.
 
Waltesefalcon
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Shabbaz Shabbaz
I'm big on Insta. It's really difficult to be so popular. I get at least 3 likes a day and it keeps growing and growing. I might hit 4 someday. It's good to be the king.
You are big time, you're getting twice the likes I am.
 
DoctorEvil
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I'm not on Insta but I absolutely deplore the effect that these "influencers" are having on the watch market right now in hyping certain brands or models and distorting the market.

IMHO if a reviewer is being given free product in return for endorsement then they should be honest and state this in their review. As far as what they do with said product after they've reviewed it, that's their business. It's their property now so they can do whatever they want with it.
 
jsducote
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DoctorEvil DoctorEvil
I'm not on Insta but I absolutely deplore the effect that these "influencers" are having on the watch market right now in hyping certain brands or models and distorting the market.
I bet you can substitute virtually anything for [watch] and the above sentence remains true. For example, I'm not personally, emotionally invested in the vintage toaster market, but I'm sure the influencers are ruining it.
 
64Wing
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I think of it from a business standpoint. It's a lot cheaper to send some self-absorbed "influencer" a free watch every quarter (perhaps even less frequently) and write it off than it is to hire a real marketing professional and put them on payroll.

I am tired of influencers though. My mom is a speech pathologist in the school system. She has lamented to me before that many children really do think they'll grow up and become a famous YouTuber or IG influencer. I'd be upset if my kid (that doesn't exist) presented this career "plan."
Edited:
 
shaun hk
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IG and this whole conversation makes me feel old. In part because I am not a huge fan of Insta and the “beautiful people” making easy money by being influencers. The idea of millions of others wanting to be like these frequently vapid and talentless stars makes me nauseous. But who is the bigger fool, me for disliking and not taking part or those bringing in money and sponsorships for what appears to be very little effort? If someone offered me easy money I would not turn it down.
It also makes me feel old because my reaction closely resembles the attitude of my parents and other grown ups towards the music and activities I liked growing up. And this makes me most uncomfortable.
And I’ve started now, so I have the need to really rant. As for the Kardashians etc who really do have huge wealth hawking “diet teas” that can actually be medically harmful is abhorrent. How much money do these people really need?
So with that, maybe I have officially turned into a grumpy, old, grown up.
 
DoctorEvil
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shaun hk shaun hk
IG and this whole conversation makes me feel old. In part because I am not a huge fan of Insta and the “beautiful people” making easy money by being influencers. The idea of millions of others wanting to be like these frequently vapid and talentless stars makes me nauseous. But who is the bigger fool, me for disliking and not taking part or those bringing in money and sponsorships for what appears to be very little effort? If someone offered me easy money I would not turn it down.
It also makes me feel old because my reaction closely resembles the attitude of my parents and other grown ups towards the music and activities I liked growing up. And this makes me most uncomfortable.
And I’ve started now, so I have the need to really rant. As for the Kardashians etc who really do have huge wealth hawking “diet teas” that can actually be medically harmful is abhorrent. How much money do these people really need?
So with that, maybe I have officially turned into a grumpy, old, grown up.
I'm hearing you. I too can't stand some of these YouTubers but I have to put up with it because my kids like watching their videos 🤔
Don't think that it's all fun and easy money being a YouTuber or IG influencer though. They're actually under a lot of pressure to come up with new content all the time.
See article below:
https://www.cnn.com/2019/12/18/tech/youtube-creator-burnout/index.html
 
Scarecrow Boat
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shaun hk shaun hk
So with that, maybe I have officially turned into a grumpy, old, grown up.
You will have made the full transformation when you yell at some "hoodlums" to get off your lawn 😉 You are off to a good start though!
shaun hk shaun hk
“beautiful people” making easy money by being influencers. [...] But who is the bigger fool, me for disliking and not taking part or those bringing in money and sponsorships for what appears to be very little effort? If someone offered me easy money I would not turn it down.
I have had this thought as well. But then, I looked in a mirror and remembered what my mom always told me- "you are beautiful on the inside." 😒

😁
 
STANDY
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Started Instagram as a 14 day hotel quarantine thing. I use it more as a tool for looking up content for knife making and shopping for handle materials and parts for my knife making. This has been the greatest asset….

I throw in some nice photos from a mix of life watches and knives.
( @Shabbaz just quickly liked the one or two of yours I didn’t like )

The likes and followers are not my end goal or to influence anyone.

B99D0655-E9CF-4F6A-9D05-573C41C57AEB.png 463806D2-8532-4EDF-90DB-8FBC27EADB5A.png


It’s a great tool to find resin blocks in the knife blank I have made below made by a dope smoking guy that has quit his job by making art resin blocks and selling on Instagram.
AE0A10A8-F30F-40F5-BF81-CB762C665677.jpeg F94A0739-4F57-42BB-9761-DA023CA371FA.png 6BBE69B7-15DC-42F1-94E0-B19DD5518224.png


Top one has become
DDA38B53-795D-416F-BCB2-250E5264F4A7.jpeg ABC41081-3B9C-43F7-A3EC-F35D1FE5470A.jpeg 31715159-DED5-482C-86B1-877C93C7BF73.jpeg



So bottom line, to care what anyone does with a Zodiac that was given to them on Instagram. That shit will eat you up man….

PS
@clundp what do you want me to promote 😉
(Please say beer, please say beer, please say beer)
 
JimInOz
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For the whole of my life, the only influencers I ever took any notice at all of were my Mum and Dad.

Oh, and my first drill Sergeant.
 
vibe
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I think the majority of influencers out there are just hacks and do a disservice to your brand anyway, I have a brand with a big presence on IG and we do not send product to people that are not legit professionals.
 
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