Faves Asia Making Everything Wrong with Being an Influencer
I can get pretty damn nosy, so when I overheard a young girl dressed in her secondary school uniform utter the word ‘influencer’, I tuned into her conversation.
She explained ‘ My classmate wants blog shops to sponsor her clothes.’
Her friend asked ‘How many followers does she have on Instagram?’
She answered ‘A few hundred, but she says her goal is to hit 1000 this year, so she’ll get free clothes. She wants to be an influencer.’
At this point I choked and when the two girls turned to look at me, I was staring at the ceiling pretending to mull over something important. They ignored me and returned to their conversation.
A boring conversation followed, and I’d tuned out within the next 2 minutes.
But you get the gist of this story – don’t have private conversations around me because I’m bound to listen in. No, but really. Are pubescent girls getting furious in their chase for fame because of the material benefits?
I know people who cringe at the term ‘influencer’. They absolutely abhor it when the term is thrown at them; because honestly, what does the hell does that even mean?
Dictionary.com says an Influencer is a person who has the power to influence many people, as through social media or traditional media.
While that sounds very much like a noble profession, many have misconstrued the term much to the irritating efforts of some ‘influencers’ who have defiled it to mean: a person who mindlessly and shamelessly promotes for personal gain.
Here is how Faves Asia has completely fucked up the term ‘influencer’
1. It’s so Materialistic
The advent of social media platforms has pushed a new wave of marketing efforts with online personalities. It seems pretty fair – companies sponsor products/services to influencers for favourable testimonies, while influencers lend their credibility in persuading their followers into the same belief.
Let’s not delve into the issue of mindless promotions (whether or not influencers actually mean what they say in a favourable testimonial).
Let’s talk about how it’s all become very materialistic. An increasing number of people want to be influencers because of the material perks. The cause and relation here has been completely reversed. Celebrities, media personalities and famous bloggers started getting sponsorships because they own a level of influence and their credibility helped further sell a product/service. Now, it’s the other way around. To get free products/services, some people are desperately trying to increase their following on social media platforms because they co-relate that to influence power.
Is that too confusing? Here’s an example.
An actor gains a following because of his work – not because of his desire for free products/services. His passion lies in acting, and the social media following that grows with his career is a byproduct.
Some ‘Influencers’ are chasing fame for other reasons – for materialism and perhaps for fulfilling their narcissism.
Somehow the misconception that being an online personality is all glitz and glamour with no actual work required but tons of benefits has been put forth.
I’m not here to talk about what influencers should do with their influence – spread positivity or negativity. But we need to highlight that materialism isn’t a quality that should be encouraged in society, and especially not amongst the prepubescent.
For the people bursting to argue ‘WHY SHOULDN’T MATERIALISM BE ENCOURAGED?!’, here’s a definition as provided by the great World Wide Web: a tendency to consider material possessions and physical comfort as more important than spiritual values.
There is nothing wrong with appreciating your material possessions, but to view them as more important than human values? I’m not saying there shouldn’t be an ounce of materialism in everybody – I believe the opposite. I think everyone is materialistic to a certain extent. But it’s one thing to be materialistic, and a whole other issue to encourage it.
At this point if some of you are still rattling off with that inner monologue to argue this point, here’s it simply put: You would chastise a gambler if he advocated and publicly encouraged gambling. You wouldn’t be happy if a smoker encouraged teenagers to pick up smoking.
Cue Faves Asia’s latest (and maybe last) video, where an aspiring influencer laments that she wants sponsorships, invites to events and a crazy following.
Are these really the values that you should be imparting to the impressionable youth?
2. It’s so Superficial
Have you checked the Faves Asia website out? I’ve linked it in this post to save you the effort.
Their entire website promotes unhealthy competition that strives on the superficiality of society.
It’s a fucking game. They’ve put the power of judgment in your hands – vote for the hottest, vote for the prettiest, vote for whatever the fuck else they can monetize.
Here’s what they’re doing. They’re asking aspiring influencers to ‘join’ as personalities by sharing their photos on their website, and ultimately giving consent to being pitted against other people in a bid for ‘amazing prizes’.
The girl that’s voted the prettiest gets a free dress. The guy that’s voted the hottest gets a free shirt. They’re managed to package and monetize superficiality and materialism in a disgusting monthly competition.
Direct your mouse over the respective categories on their website and see the texts that pop up.
‘JOIN AS PERSONALITY’ –HOW FAR CAN YOU GO’
How many other individuals’ photos can your selfie outvote for a free dress this month?
‘VOTE AS AUDIENCE – START PLAYING’
Because it’s all a game.
3. They’re being Used
It irks me because there’s someone out there running this website who’s earning money off impressionable teenagers who are now just chasing fame for the wrong reasons. These girls and ‘hunks’ are just pawns in this cockwomble’s attempt to earn some easy cash by letting everyone else sell their looks and photos.
In an interview with Vulcanpost, the co-founder of Faves Asia admits that Faves Asia is inspired by Facemash – Facebook in its very early stages.
If you bother to do a quick search on Facemash, Mark Zuckerberg admits to being somewhat of a jerk. Quote “But one thing is certain, and it’s that I’m a jerk for making this site.”
Bruhhhhhhhh, you’re modeling your business over someone who’s admitted it was quite an asshole of an idea?
4. The Highly Cringe-worthy Video
The video that started it all. Let’s review it.
It starts with a girl whining incessantly about her creepy online behavior – she has stalked a certain influencer so ferociously that she knows exactly what undergarments the girl is wearing.
Sidenote: is it just my imagination or is this establishing shot taken in Gushcloud’s office space?
Anyway, a second girl with striking blue hair appears and responds to the whining with ‘ thank me.’
‘For what?’
‘Just thank me.’
Then BAM! Before your ears realize it, the already shitty audio has been overtaken by a voiceover that sounds exactly like if someone with a lisp was whispering in your ear with no concerns whatsoever for private space.
The narration introduces you to everyone’s favourite social media startup – Faves Asia. It’s accompanied by breathtaking visuals of whiny girl with a group of friends eating, partying and getting a mani/pedi.
FALSE ADVERTISING: Aren’t the girls supposed to whip out their cameras to take photos of everything that transpires – I mean, that’s what they live for now, right? Why are they going at their burgers without taking any photos?! Nothing makes sense anymore!
Text appears: 6 months later.
A Maserati parks in the driveway – the chauffeur is surprisingly young. Or does Uber Exec now offer sports cars? Oh no wait, it’s the whiny girl’s boyfriend.
Upgrade your Instagram, upgrade your boyfriend.
A group of boys appear at whiny girl’s window, screaming while holding gifts. The undeterred boyfriend tells her ‘remember to smile okay?’
The video ends with shots of whiny girl really living it up at some party with a group of girl friends. They drink champagne and exchange pleasantries, with facial expressions that show no one really wants to be a part of any conversation going on there.
End.
The video of the year – advocating every wrong value that is to uphold.
But don’t take my word for it – go watch it yourself. It’s just 3 and a half minutes you’re never getting back.