Exposing The Dirty Tactics Of Fitness Influencer Marketing | by Emma Colsey-Nicholls | Aug, 2023

They’re Lying To You

I had a bit of an eye opening experience into the shady world of fitness influencer marketing. I really wanted to expose what really goes on when we turn to trusting influencers on the internet, because there are likely a lot of lies in there.

After some of my product review videos had been gaining some traction on Youtube, I had a popular supplement company reach out to me. I’m not going to mention any names as I certainly don’t want to land myself into any legal issues.

But…

They offered to send me one of their products for free in exchange for a video review. Stating that wanted to send it with ‘no catch’.

This is a company that is constantly in the ads on my social media feeds and so it had already been on my radar to test out and see if it was actually any good.

So I replied that I would be happy to do a review in exchange for a product.

But here is where the alarm bells started to ring. In the next email, they were giving suggestions for video titles (that are apparently non-negotiable)

I don’t know about you, but this is starting to sound a lot like there are indeed ‘catches’ that I would have to stick to in exchange for a product that doesn’t cost more than $40!

Then as I’m reading through the contract (I’d say a contract in itself is yet another catch) I’m annoyed at the audacity to just straight up asking their influencers to lie.

So in one email, they want a video where I give my review based on 14 days of using it. Yet, they want the video to be submitted within 8 days of receiving the product!

Plus they state that if it’s not up to expectations, they can make you re-shoot it. My first concern is:

1. What are their expectations? Who knows? Only to say good things?
2. A lot of time goes into doing a review and creating a review that is open and honest. All in exchange for a $40 product is not really worth it, especially if I was…