What happens when influencers take the de-route?
In the wake of the Bournvita controversy, brand experts say influencers now want to be seen as loyal to their followers too and the creator economy is getting more community-driven
An influencer makes the audience aware of why a product or service is worth their time and money and this mode of marketing sure has done wonders for several brands but what happens when they start talking about the ‘cons’ rather than the ‘pros’. Well, that seems to be the new trend – ‘de’influencing.
The most recent row was over a content creator ‘calling out’ Cadbury Bournvita for the excessive amount of sugar in it. The post has, however, been taken off with the person issuing an apology and clarifying that there was no intention of infringing upon the trademark. Cadbury Bournvita is learnt to have sent a legal notice to ‘Foodpharmer’ Revant Himatsingka over the video where he has claimed that the brand doesn’t stand for ‘’Taiyari Jeet Ki” and instead it means “Taiyari Diabetes Ki”.
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Cadbury was quick to issue a counter to the video saying that the facts presented were factually incorrect. "Every serve of Bournvita has 7.5 grams of added sugar, which is approximately one-and-a-half teaspoons. This is much less than the daily recommended intake limits of sugar for children,” shared the brand.
e4m reached out to Mondelez for an official statement on the issue, but they refused to say anything more.
The said post generated a lot of buzz on social media and otherwise, sparking conversations if de-influencing has more impact on consumers. Will brand-influencer collaborations see a new chapter and is de-influencing here to stay?
According to Apoorv Bhatnagar, Co-founder of The Plug Media, an influencer marketing/ talent management agency, “The trend started with targeting overconsumption and impulse shopping because of social media. The creator economy is now getting very community-driven. Influencers are becoming more loyal to their communities than to a brand, hence taking the de-influencing route because they're taking more informed decisions about consuming a product and also want their audience to be better-informed consumers.”
Similarly, Ramya Ramachandran, Founder & CEO of influencer marking firm Whoppl, said the influencer marketing sector has grown significantly and many are taking this route for gaining credibility among their followers. “In the past few years, the number of content creators has increased significantly. At times, it becomes difficult to differentiate between branded and non-branded content. When you see a creator posting genuine reviews, it increases the overall credibility of the brand in general. Over the years, these creators have built a community that trusts and believes in them and resonate with the brands they promote or talk about.”
Sharing the content creators’ PoV, lifestyle/fashion influencer Isha Borah said, “I don’t think this is going to impact the influencer economy as it lets people see both sides of the coin and it can be beneficial for the brand and the consumer. Also, I feel this de-influencing trend is helpful as it allows people to see not just the bright side of products marketed by multiple influencers but also the limitations of it. This way, consumers can make a solid decision of whether they want to opt for the product or go for an alternative at a price that they are comfortable with.”
“Knowing both sides of a product can be immensely helpful for people as they can choose to spend wisely and not impulsively and then regret it. This way, people can also put their trust in influencers and not just comply with assumptions about influencers marketing products only to earn without worrying about their followers,” she added.
Asked it this will hamper influencer marketing and the creator economy, Bhatnagar says that, on the contrary, it will be a pro for influencers. “I don't think it'll impact their future brand collaborations. Instead, brands are now moving more towards community pro influencers. Once an influencer is loyal to their community and they reciprocate in the same manner - brands are willing to work with people who really have an influence on their audience.”
“The right approach for a brand could be to approach an influencer and have a one-on-one chat about the brand/product - let the influencer personally use it and then discuss the way forward,” he added.
While Borah also agrees that it won’t hamper collaborations in the future, “No, I don’t think there is any need to worry about future collaborations. For example, there are many creators on YouTube who post reviews about newly launched mobiles and laptops. In their reviews they don’t just speak about how flawless the product is but also the shortcomings. In spite of doing so, these big brands do collab with them whenever there is a newly launched product and do not shun them just because in the last review the content creator didn’t speak only positives about it. So, I really don’t feel there is a need to worry about losing future collaborations.”
Sharing the legal perspective, Bhatnagar says influencers won’t really be facing any legal issues. “I don't think taking a legal route is the way to tackle this situation. Trends may come and go but indirectly de-influencing is allowing consumers to take more informed decisions. It's not about bad-mouthing a product, it's more about 'do you really need this product' just because it's in trend or everyone else has it. The right way to deal would be when influencers transparently disclose whether they're sponsoring a particular brand or a product,” he added.
As an influencer, Borah says, “It is not a hassle at all. As an influencer, if you are talking about a product that didn’t leave a mark on your expectations, then it is purely your opinion and you have the full right to express it with valid reasons. This way you can also present a completely true picture to your followers. However, if you also advertise some other product in place of the product which you are asking to avoid, then it might backfire as it can become more about influencing and less about de-influencing. So, I would suggest giving genuine opinions and not simply jumping the trend.”
In February 2023, ASCI launched a short report - Influencer Trust Report, wherein 90% of respondents claimed to have made at least one purchase based on influencer recommendations - Transparency emerges as the no. 1 reason to trust influencers. According to the report, 91% of people trust advertising in general, and 79% of respondents trust social media influencers.
Influencer marketing has become a core part of marketing budgets for every sector. According to the e4m INCA Influencer report, the influencer marketing industry is currently valued at about Rs 1,275 crore and is going to grow at a CAGR of 25% for the next 5 years.
