HAUL COUTURE: Over-Consumption and Under-Originality | by Olivia Kettell | ICM 506 — Spring 2023 | Mar, 2023

Dyson Airwrap. UGG Minis. Stanley tumbler. Thanks to TikTok, many of us can’t get away from these brands and products on a daily basis. Since the social media platform blew up in recent years it has completely changed the game for influencers and trends. Companies target users who are everyday people sharing their lives and turn them into a face for their brand which subsequently influences their followers. This new type of celebrity can, in reality, be harmful to viewers and consumers because of how trustworthy they appear online. If a viewer sees their favorite influencer using a product, it can lead them to purchase a product without a second thought. Social media users also enjoy watching their favorite creators share all the products they’ve purchased recently, and such TikTok videos under the “haul” hashtag have amassed a collective 36.9 billion views.

Unfortunately, many of these products that end up being purchased fall under what are called “microtrends.” These are products that are super popular for a very brief period of time and then disappear shortly thereafter — usually leading to overconsumption which is taking a toll on the planet. Many TikTok users’ closets undoubtedly reflect the whirlwind of trends that take place on the app. But with this rise of influencing, what is happening to our purchasing behaviors and personal styles?

Microtrends — Macro Trending

Anyone who’s spent more than a minute on TikTok is probably familiar with phrases like “run, don’t walk!” followed by an item or items that they claim you “need.” In reality, a lot of this is marketing to bolster cheap, lower-quality products that are not meant to last a long time. Online stores like Shein are a holy grail for finding trending items at impossibly low prices that buyers will likely wear once or twice. Before the era of these microtrends, the trend cycle used to span about a year and clothing items could be repurposed again and again for long periods of time. But now there are too many trends to keep up with — which is probably why each one is only in the spotlight for a very short period of time (Guler). A large part of this is due to social media and the rapid flow of information we consume, as well as the “micro” celebrities we are shown every day.

The Who’s Who

The concept of celebrity has become less and less clearly defined and today movie stars fall under the same umbrella as social media “micro influencers.” Thanks to platforms like TikTok, and additionally spurred by the Covid-19 pandemic, ordinary people are now able to gain followings of thousands to hundreds of millions of people and become this new kind of star. Gone are the days where endless shaping and marketing produced the big celebrities we know and love — today we are ushering in an era of a “DIY kind of celebrity” where anyone with a phone and a voice can build up their fame on their own (Wise).

Brands have begun to pick up on this and are increasingly calling on these social media superstars to authentically market their products to followers. In 2019, before the pandemic hit, the influencer marketing industry reached $6.5 billion after being on the upward trend for a couple of years before. But since 2020 the industry has really been on the rise, expanding to almost $10 billion that year followed by nearly $14 billion in 2021 and $16.4 billion in 2022 (Santora). The short-form video presentation that TikTok as well as Instagram and Facebook use has offered a perfect platform for this kind of promotion and it’s clear that it is worth investing in.

But what’s the secret to success? Influencers are seen as much more personable and trustworthy than brands as a whole. Additionally, some are specialized to a certain interest such as beauty, fashion, or food. These kinds of influencers will often take great care in selecting brands and products to work with and promote, which builds this trust and reliability. Followers place such creators on a pedestal, and their newfound authority therefore impacts purchase decisions of their audience.

Selling Point

Another benefit of being a specialized influencer with a curated following is the different promotional incentives that can be utilized. Influencer marketing can be more than unboxing videos or listing favorite products — in fact, many creators will direct followers to a brand’s website with a specific code that dishes them a portion of that sale. Brands can also call upon specific influencers to be brand ambassadors and represent their company on the platform (Cohen). You might see brand-sponsored trips; most recently makeup brand Tarte selected some of TikTok’s favorite influencers to visit Dubai for a couple days which generated all kinds of buzz. Not only do these trips present a massive opportunity for content creation from a creator perspective, but they are also a way for brands to create stronger connections with these influencers (Hicks). Additionally, these partnerships can work to create stronger bonds of trust between influencers and their audience, which of course only builds up a brand more. Through giveaways, discounts, or other kinds of events, consumers are drawn into influencer content and begin to turn to them for expert advice on the latest trends (Dinh).

All of these different forms of promotion build up a façade that followers buy into, which is the ideal role model that they strive to be like. Influencer marketing is so followers will take their favorite creator’s word for anything and end up spending money as a direct result. On a larger scale, such consumer habits are driven by social comparisons, the fear of missing out, and materialism. It’s incredibly easy for social media users to compare themselves to others online, and this includes the kinds of products they have and brands they purchase from. No one wants to be the only one with tall UGGs, right? But really, the immediate need to have whatever product you’ve seen on TikTok comes from a place of FOMO and the belief that having such products will improve one’s quality of life (Dinh).

What happens when you can’t realistically afford the *mini* UGGs, or the Dyson Airwrap, or the AirPods Max, or anything else plaguing the For You Page? Another popular corner of social media is devoted to discussing where to buy the best dupes for popular products and reviewing how well they work. On TikTok, the hashtag pertaining to these product duplicates has amassed almost three billion views and has placed dupes in the running for one of the most popular shopping trends of the year (Kern). Users will even share dupes that they find in different stores and encourage followers to go out and purchase the copycat product. Most of the popular products that have been circulating cost a bit more to reflect the quality and durability of the product, and falling into the habit of buying dupes means that things won’t be used for as long and will likely collect dust as we move onto the next trend.

Post-Trend Considerations

On a similar note, another important cause for concern is sustainability. Between dupes and outrageously cheap clothing sites like Shein we are seeing more product overconsumption than ever. The “materialistic throwaway culture” perpetuated by TikTok has caused trends to come and go almost faster than we can keep up with (Draper). And because of how soon each trend becomes irrelevant, consumers turn to fast fashion retailers for cheap products that will allow them to participate in the trend for however long until its popularity has worn off and it ends up in a landfill. Additionally, many of these trends can fall under smaller umbrellas of their own, fitting into a specific style or “aesthetic” which are frequently compartmentalized under names like “clean girl aesthetic,” “Barbiecore,” or “coastal grandma.” Those who wish to participate in one of these niche styles will purchase new clothing, makeup, or even décor to fit in (Thompson).

Now entering another layer of this matrix, what is happening to social media users’ personal sense of style? With everything being marketed as dupe this, Hailey Bieber that, “clean girl” this, haul that, it seems that more people are interested in fitting in with the people they see on a screen, rather than spending money on things that they actually like and fit their personal tastes. Did you buy those mini UGGs because your favorite influencer wore them, or because you were looking for a warm and durable pair of boots? People are increasingly focused on the products themselves and their popularity, rather than considering how often they’ll use them and if they are things that can last a long time (Thompson).

Interestingly, a new trend has arisen on TikTok in recent weeks called “deinfluencing.” Content creators are now taking to the app with transparency about products that are not worth your money with the goal of helping viewers make more conscious purchases. Such videos begin with personal anecdotes sharing just how much people have spent on different products and work to positively encourage viewers on ways to save money. Influencers will suggest dupes for expensive products, and while some of these are drugstore makeup alternatives, some of them actually direct their followers to similarly-priced sustainable alternatives. But at the heart of this movement is still influencing — just this time there is a voice that says it’s okay to not buy something before offering up a duplicate product (Wong).

Social media has given a voice to anyone and everyone. It’s allowed for conversation on any and all topics and has even reached so far as to impact fashion and beauty trends and consumer behavior. It’s easy to idealize someone on your phone who has the clothes and lifestyle you want, and ordinary people have obtained the power to influence large numbers of people. Many companies and brands have become aware of how effective influencer marketing is, and the market is only going to continue to grow. This approach to promotion has impacted consumer attitudes towards different brands and products because the message is coming from a friendly face they trust. But many purchases are made when consumers feel the need to participate in popular trends that are circulating, whether it’s buying the real thing or an off-brand and much cheaper duplicate product. These short-lived microtrends show up and die out quicker than we, and most likely our closets, can keep up with.

However, participating in trends has further implications beyond clicking “add to cart.” Our planet is seeing the toll in the form of textile waste, the internet is now a holy grail for style advice, and peoples’ wallets are undoubtedly feeling the pressure as well. As consumers and social media users, it’s our responsibility to keep both our feet on the ground and not get swept up in microtrends and shopping hauls.

References

Cohen, M. (2023, February 15). Why influencer marketing is becoming a crucial part of every marketing. FastCompany. Retrieved March 8, 2023, from https://www.fastcompany.com/90848836/why-influencer-marketing-is-becoming-a-crucial-part-of-every-marketing-strategy

Dinh, T.C.T. and Lee, Y. (2022), ““I want to be as trendy as influencers” — how “fear of missing out” leads to buying intention for products endorsed by social media influencers”, Journal of Research in Interactive Marketing, Vol. 16 №3, pp. 346–364. https://doi.org/10.1108/JRIM-04-2021-0127

Draper, T. (2023, February 24). Run don’t walk! — the issue of overconsumption on TikTok. Her Campus | Created for Gen Z, By Gen Z. Retrieved March 7, 2023, from https://www.hercampus.com/school/nottingham/run-dont-walk-the-issue-of-overconsumption-on-tiktok/

Guler, S. N. (2022). The Macro-Effects of Micro-Trends. Retrieved March 7, 2023, from https://writetheworld.org/groups/1/shared/277179/version/598532

Hicks, K. (2023, January 27). Tarte and the future of the influencer trip. Marketing Brew. Retrieved March 7, 2023, from https://www.marketingbrew.com/stories/2023/01/27/tarte-and-the-future-of-the-influencer-trip

Kern, M., & Henschel, H. (2023, February 18). Dupes are the biggest shopping trend of 2023 so far. Here’s why. Mashable. Retrieved March 7, 2023, from https://mashable.com/roundup/best-dupes

Santora, J. (2023, January 11). Key influencer marketing statistics to drive your strategy in 2023. Influencer Marketing Hub. Retrieved March 7, 2023, from https://influencermarketinghub.com/influencer-marketing-statistics/

Thompson, C. (n.d.). Is personal style going extinct? InStyle. Retrieved March 7, 2023, from https://instyleaustralia.com.au/personal-style-2023

Wise, L. (2021, February 27). ‘where are the next Tom Cruises?’: How the internet changed celebrity. The Guardian. Retrieved March 7, 2023, from https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2021/feb/27/where-are-the-next-tom-cruises-how-the-internet-changed-celebrity

Wong, B. (2023, February 21). Deinfluencing: The TikTok trend taking influencers down a slippery slope. HuffPost. Retrieved March 7, 2023, from https://www.huffpost.com/entry/deinfluencing-trend_l_63e42b6de4b07f036b9a57b8