Are influencers all over your social media feed? How do you feel when you come across videos or photos of product recommendations, “hauls” and “unboxings,” or when creators direct you to their TikTok shops and Amazon storefronts?
Do you enjoy this type of content? Or are you tired of it?
In “Champagne. Caviar. Bora Bora. Are You Not Entertained?” Madison Malone Kircher writes about the mixed reactions to a recent influencer trip put on by the beauty brand Tarte Cosmetics:
A group of influencers are on a private jet to Bora Bora. They sip Veuve Clicquot, sample caviar and dance in their seats to Fergie’s “Glamorous.”
Welcome to Trippin’ With Tarte, a promotional extravaganza sponsored by the beauty brand Tarte Cosmetics, a company known for regularly inviting social media influencers on lavish trips.
For those not on the guest list, TikTok and Instagram have provided a front-row seat to the spectacle of influencers having a glorious time, and the Tarte excursions have become social media’s version of a hit reality TV series.
The Fergie-underscored video, posted on TikTok by the online creator Abby Baffoe, has been viewed 1.3 million times since Friday. The reaction has been decidedly mixed, with some commenters expressing annoyance with the conspicuous consumption on display and suggesting that they may be suffering from influencer fatigue, a weariness with content that has become the stuff of social media cliché.
“I’ve been influenced! To buy any brand but Tarte,” one TikTok user commented.
The 30 influencers on the four-night trip, as well as their plus ones, stayed at the Four Seasons Resort Bora Bora in bungalows atop crystal blue waters. Their rooms were filled with gifts, including luggage, clothing, swimsuits, beauty products and record players. On social media, the influencers chronicled their activities — getting makeovers, snorkeling, jet skiing, partying by the pool, playing with dogs from a nearby animal shelter (to which Tarte made a hefty donation) and imbibing plenty of cocktails.
The article goes on:
Tarte’s guests are not required to post on social media, but most of them can’t resist documenting almost every moment for a collective audience of millions. Imani Blackmon, who works for a clothing company in Anaheim, Calif., counts herself among the fans of the Tarte trips.
“I personally get excited,” Ms. Blackmon, 29, said, “just because I do love to see all the glam and the glitz. I watch the Kardashians, I love award shows and all of that because you kind of get to escape your reality of your personal life.”
For other viewers, Trippin’ With Tarte has lost its appeal.
“Seeing them taking private jets to Bora Bora does not make me want to go buy something from Tarte Cosmetics,” Ellie Frazier, 24, said in a video she posted on TikTok. Ms. Frazier, a recruiter in Greenville, S.C., is one of the many people who called out the brand for being out of touch with its customers.
Students, read the entire article and then tell us:
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How do you feel about influencer culture on social media right now? Why?
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What is your reaction to the Tarte trip? Do you think it’s a fun peek into a life of glitz and glamour? Or do you find it out of touch?
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Are you influenced by influencers? Have you ever bought something an influencer recommended? If so, were you happy with your purchase, or did you regret it? Did that experience make you want to keep buying what influencers recommend?
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Do you think we have reached “peak influencer culture”? That is, are most consumers tired of creators trying to sell them stuff online? If so, does your generation still generally like and trust what influencers have to say?
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What are the biggest problems with influencer culture — if there are any at all?
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Would you like to be an influencer someday? Why or why not?
Students 13 and older in the United States and Britain, and 16 and older elsewhere, are invited to comment. All comments are moderated by the Learning Network staff, but please keep in mind that once your comment is accepted, it will be made public and may appear in print.
Find more Student Opinion questions here. Teachers, check out this guide to learn how you can incorporate these prompts into your classroom.