What PR Professionals Can Learn from The New Beauty “de-influencing” Trend | by Zaria Miller

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We’ve all heard of influencers as the new liaison between companies and consumers, especially in the beauty and lifestyle industry. The ease of transitioning from watching an influencer rave about a product to purchasing it with only a few clicks has changed the game completely. According to a Pew research study, 76% of US adults have reported using their smartphone to buy things online. While this can bring out a straightforward strategy to improve brand identity and trust amongst consumers, a new trend called “deinfluencing,” focusing on creating honest and fully transparent reviews, aims to counteract the considerable influence of partnered ads. Most “deinfluencing” videos focus on showing a popular or trending product and pointing out its flaws or more accessible options. Some even point out that many new products are unneeded and encourage viewers to avoid overconsumption. One could argue that the trend is just a counterculture version of influencing.

It’s impossible to discuss this trend without considering the consumerism that has grown alongside the growth of social media. Now more than ever, we are constantly bombarded with ads and videos about “the next best thing” or “products you can’t live without.” This ultimately leads to a higher consumption level amongst consumers to avoid this proverbial feeling of “FOMO” that is present. Makeup is especially susceptible to this trap due to the number of products and brands being launched constantly.

So as the professionals in charge of managing brand identity and forming and maintaining relationships with various publics, including influencers and consumers, what can we learn from this new trend? Here are three things that I have taken away from exploring this viral sensation:

Creating relationships with trusted influencers is key

By utilizing social listening and continuously viewing content online, you can get an idea of influencers deemed trustworthy versus those not (see mascara gate). While the online climate is ever-changing and evolving, presenting your products to influencers that promote transparency can help audiences be more attracted to your brand. As an avid beauty consumer, I can anecdotally say that even if a reviewer doesn’t 100% like a product, hearing their pros and cons can still influence me to buy a product, as a beauty product is not one size fits all.

Focus on building brand credibility before reaching out to influencers

Brands with credibility and transparency (i.e., posting formulations and creating authentic messaging) can create space in the “deinfluencing” trend. For example, someone might post a video “deinfluencing” after buying a product from a brand that doesn’t show its value for diversity or shade range inclusion and suggest a better alternative. A brand needs trust from the get-go instead of trying to salvage a reputation once it spreads online.

Social listening and staying up to date on trends is key

As I stated before, influencers are popular targets for promoting projects to consumers. Without nuance and understanding of current trends such as “deinfluencing,” you may pitch to an influencer and not receive the results or content you imagined getting from them. It’s essential to continue creating a dialogue with all of a brand’s stakeholders to understand the motivation and feelings behind their purchasing and business related decisions.

As with most trends, it’s impossible to know how long “deinfluencing” will be around and what the next buying trend will be. As a person entering the Public Relations industry, the internet is an exercise in analyzing and understanding consumers, companies, influencers, and the like. I hope my opinions in this post provided insight and got you all thinking about how viral trends should impact PR approaches. Comment your thoughts on the “deinfluencing” trend, and thanks for reading!

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