Social media’ influencers’ have become a massive industry, since more and more people are spending their time on the likes of Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube instead of ‘traditional’ media like newspapers and TV.
As media branding agency MediaKix reports, the money being spent on influencers has recently shot up and is going to continue upwards. In 2015, the industry was worth around $500 million. By 2020, it is expected to be worth between $5 billion and $10 billion.
With this much money splashing around, you would think influencers would be happy to stump up for their holidays, wouldn’t you? The exchange between a British Vlogger named Elle Darby and Paul Stenson, the owner of the Charleville Lodge Hotel and The White Moose Café in Dublin, maybe the beginning of a backlash against entitled influencers and their weird habit of asking for freebies in exchange for ‘exposure.’
Mr. Stenson’s sharp rebuke garnered a huge online reaction, with several people supporting his stance against an industry that we have not quite come to grips with yet. A lot of people see influencers as talentless freeloaders shamelessly hawking products with little more to offer than their looks, and that was reflected in the comments.
Unfortunately, several people took it way too far and Ms. Darby ended up on the receiving end of a torrent of disgusting abuse.
Ironically, in his quest to expose the ‘exposure’ culture, an unrepentant Mr. Stenson got more exposure for his business than he could have possibly imagined.
As influencers united to defend their industry and condemn his attitude, Mr. Stenson upped the ante by announcing a complete ban on influencers, saying any that try to enter the premises would be “ejected.”
Furthermore, he sent Ms. Darby a mock ‘bill’ for all the exposure his actions earned, to further his point.
Mr. Stenson is no stranger to controversy, as he has made the headlines for several instances of social media outrage. His tongue-in-cheek, no-holds-barred communications sharply divide people, with some applauding his honesty and humor, while others consider him to be a bully.
Add Ed Sheeran fans to the list of people that Mr. Stenson has insulted, and you’ll wonder how long this can go on. Business still seems to be good, though, and Mr. Stenson remains unapologetic about his manner of communication.
Image credits: WhiteMooseCafe, Youtube
Here is what people had to say about the exchange:
COMMENTS