Marketing Manipulation: The Inside Scoop
- On the Money Magazine
- 4 days ago
- 2 min read
Olabisi Giwa, Walter Payton College Prep, Sophomore
Humans are natural gatherers. Shop till you drop isn't a new phrase. Whether it's a Rhode lip gloss or the Lululemon keychain, one girl always has it all. 75% of people use social media for purchasing advice, and 69% of consumers trust influencer recommendations (Digital Marketing Institute, 2024). As of the last decade, buying trendy items has been a typical behavior. Influencers make social media go round. The 60-second videos you watch are interwoven with corporations trying to make a buck off sales. Marketing manipulation has several definitions, but it's mainly the reason people fall victim to unnecessary skincare products that dry out your skin or hair oils that don't do anything.
Brands create omnipresence through billboards, TV spots, newspaper ads, etc. The company knows that if you see the brand enough, you'll form attachments to it. Influencer marketing is a billion-dollar industry. Influencers are people who can influence potential buyers of a product or service by promoting or recommending the items on social media. Brands reach out to people with 5,000 to 15,000,000 followers to promote their brand. Viewers get manipulated by the media with the same tactics seen in politics, sports, and literally everything else. Microinfluencer Jenna Frizzell shares her opinion on oversaturated markets. “I find an overabundance reduces authenticity. I can no longer always trust if someone is telling me they like a product so that they can make money off of it, or if they truly love the product”.
Most people think they do a great job of not falling victim to influencer marketing. However, in reality, almost everything you buy, from your car to your coffee, is the result of someone influencing you. Consumer Ashley Feng admits that she has often overspent her monthly allowance on popular brands. “This month I’ve spent like $2,000 of my own money, but it's ok.” Researchers say that new ways of advertising, paired with cultural shifts toward consumerism, seem to be driving the country's economic downturn. Since 1982, Americans’ personal savings rate has dropped from 11 percent to below zero, according to the U.S.D.C. (Novotney, 2008). This is a concerning trend because people are spending what they should be saving. In a world driven by trends and influencer hype, true financial freedom comes not from keeping up—but from knowing when to hold back and save instead.
https://digitalmarketinginstitute.com/blog/20-influencer-marketing-statistics-that-will-surprise-you
Ashley Feng, Student, xfeng4@cps.edu
Jenna Frizzel, Micrinfluencer, jennafrizzell@gmail.com