SOCIAL MEDIA INFLUENCING AND DECEPTIVE PRACTICES: A STUDY OF INSTAGRAM’S SKIN CARE INFLUENCERS

Abstract

The porosity of the digital media has contributed to the adoption of manipulation and deceit by influencers and brands alike in product-promotion. The study investigates and identifies various deceptive practices used by social media skin care influencers, through focus group discussion and survey of university students in Lagos state using the cluster sampling and the purposive sampling techniques. Results show that 80% of the respondents agree that skin care influencers use deceptive practices in the promotion of skin care products, however, 60% of these respondents are of the view that although skin care influencers adopt deceptive practices, they are equally very useful in not just brand promotion but also for helping skin care consumers in their skin care purchase decision making. The engagement of influencers in the promotion of skin care products on social media is viable but can gain more acceptability based on the attractiveness, trustworthiness and expertise of the influencers, as well as the maintenance and the projection of a circular and consistent collaboration with the brands inorder to build credibility in the minds of skin care consumers. Regulatory bodies in Nigeria like (ARCON) should set up control measures to regulate product influencing in Nigeria, as well as carry out marketing research on brand and influencer activities (a performance survey) addressing different areas of consumers’ experience online with different brands and products. Furthermore, a symbiotic relationship between brands and their influencers is highly encouraged.