Over The Influence: Why We Need More Regular People in Ads
I'm so over it. The influencer world, that is. It's like they're all trying to be the same person. I mean, seriously, have you ever scrolled through you...
I'm so over it. The influencer world, that is. It's like they're all trying to be the same person. I mean, seriously, have you ever scrolled through your feed and thought, "Wow, that's the most original content I've ever seen"? I highly doubt it.
Look, I get it. Influencers have a lot of followers. They have the power to sway opinions and promote products. But at what cost? It's all starting to feel forced and inauthentic. And don't even get me started on the ethical issues.
Real People Beat Fake Perfect Every Time
That's why I believe we need more regular people in ads. People who aren't trying to be someone else, people just being themselves. People with real stories to tell and real experiences to share. People who don't have a massive following but can still connect with audiences on a deeper level.
Let's face it, most ads feature airbrushed models who look like they've been plucked straight out of a magazine. They present an idealized version of beauty that's unattainable for most people. And what about ads featuring influencers? They're often overly scripted and overly promotional. They don't feel like real people talking about real experiences. They feel like salespeople trying to sell you something.
The thing is, we need more diversity, more authenticity, and more transparency in advertising. We need to see more regular people represented in ads. We need to see real people—with flaws and imperfections.
What You Can Do About It
As consumers, we can demand more from the brands we support. We can choose to support brands that feature regular people in their ads, promote diversity and authenticity, and are transparent about their influencer partnerships. We can also choose to unfollow influencers who don't align with our values and who promote products in a dishonest way.
What We Advertisers Need to Do
And as advertisers, we need to challenge ourselves to think beyond the influencer formula. We need to look for new and innovative ways to tell stories and promote products. We need to seek out diverse voices and perspectives. We need to prioritize authenticity and transparency in all of our communications.
At the end of the day, it's up to all of us to create a world where authenticity and transparency are valued over superficiality. It's time to move away from the influencer world and embrace the power of regular people. Because, let's be real, there's nothing more refreshing than seeing someone who looks like you, sounds like you, and has experiences like you in an ad.
Author: Ken Moskowitz
Frequently Asked Questions
Ken argues that influencer ads are overly scripted and overly promotional—they don't feel like real people talking about real experiences. Instead, they come across as salespeople trying to sell you something, which makes the whole thing feel forced and fake.
According to Ken, airbrushed models present an idealized, unattainable version of beauty that most people can't relate to. This lack of representation makes ads feel disconnected from real life and real people.
Ken says consumers can support brands that feature regular people and promote diversity and authenticity in their ads. You can also unfollow influencers who don't align with your values or who promote products dishonestly, and demand transparency about influencer partnerships.
Ken challenges advertisers to think beyond the influencer formula and look for innovative ways to tell stories. He wants the industry to seek out diverse voices, prioritize authenticity and transparency, and feature regular people with real flaws and imperfections instead of cookie-cutter content.
