Good vs. Evil in Word-of-Mouth Marketing

Here we are in 2020, a time in which any purchasing decision entails some sort of research. Think about it. When was the last time you went to a new restaurant without looking up the reviews or photos on Yelp? Personally, I feel like I am being adventurous when I randomly decide on a place to eat without consulting the internet first. Not only have those listing sites changed the way we make buying decisions but so has social media, particularly influencers. Influencers have the ability and the platform to promote a brand or product word-of-mouth to all of their followers. But as Spider-Man once said, “With great power there must also come great responsibility.”

Here’s an example.

I started following an influencer on Instagram with a bubbly personality known for sharing her bargain finds and a variety of other goods that don’t break the bank. This year happens to be a very expensive year for me so her content focus was very relevant to my needs and desires.

One evening on her Instagram Stories she promoted these straws that are filled with teeny beads that dissolve flavors like cotton candy and chocolate into your glass of milk. She described them as being “incredible” and proclaimed how she will “never drink milk without them because they are so good!” Coincidentally, earlier that week my caring husband had said that we both needed to be better at consuming enough calcium. Talk about receiving the right message at the right time!

So I order these flavor straws on Amazon and was thrilled to get them in the mail two days later. Immediately, I poured myself a tall glass of milk and cut the ends of the straw off, freeing the beads to work their magic. Unfortunately, they did nothing of the sort! In fact, I was lucky to not choke to death on them as they sprayed the back of my throat like tiny violent bullets as I sucked them through the straw! Thankfully, I was able to save my husband just in the knick of time from experiencing the disappointment that only flavorless beads of lies can bring.

There was no possible way she (or anyone with functioning tastebuds) could promote such a vile product as being tasty. I felt so let down by this influencer and immediately unfollowed her because she lost her credibility and my trust.

As an influencer, or as a marketer who hires influencers to promote their product, it is important to consider the negative short-term and long-term consequences of being dishonest with your audience. Influencers and marketers have a duty to be ethical and to side with good, not evil.

In the case of the flavor beads, this was nothing short of the devil’s work.

To learn more about ethics in marketing, take a look the American Marketing Association’s Codes of Conduct.