How to Tell If an Influencer REALLY Likes a Product

/ shaq

[@stevenjacobs2750]

Extranet Shaquille coming in to try and teach critical thinking to a KZbin audience. It's a bold strategy.

[@ecp711]

Lets see if its gonna pay off for him

[@stevenjacobs2750]

@@ecp711 you're telling me he's sponsored by big thinking?! I knew it was too good to be true

[@vinstinct]

KZbin has a pretty big audience. I'm guessing most people who watch him are not idiots. Joshua Weissman on the other hand......

[@sunnohh]

Reddit should chase him out of town

[@hayfakhatib6363]

Take that back!

[@charlieb8735]

The one asterisk to the “do they list negatives” is that some ad reads do list non-substantive negatives to make it seem more objective but really they don’t apply at all either to the target audience or the product itself

[@msjkramey]

Yeah, most people are suspicious of perfect 5 star reviews, so even scam products will make sure that they throw some 4 star reviews too to make it look more realistic

[@dm9910]

It's like the kind of person who goes for a job interview and answers the question "what are your weaknesses?" with stuff like "I'm a workaholic" or "I'm a perfectionist" which are primarily problems for the employee and not the employer. Having sat on interview panels before there are few things that will put me off a candidate more than this kind of disingenuous shite

[@novelle.27]

@@dm9910 what are they supposed to do? people don’t want to make themselves look bad to an employer; of course they’ll list things that won’t be a problem for them.

[@dm9910]

@@novelle.27 The point of the question is to see if the candidate is capable of introspection and handling their flaws. If you go in there and disingenuously list things that are not weaknesses, you did not understand the assignment. Zero marks. Obviously you shouldn't say something that makes you look like an arsehole, but you should come up with a genuine weakness, and then explain what you're going to do about it (or what you need from the employer) to make sure it doesn't cause major problems. For example "I'm prone to getting tunnel-vision, so I like to set reminders for myself to make sure I don't forget secondary tasks". Or "I'm not very familiar with the tech stack you use here. I've started reading up about Rust in my spare time, but I would appreciate support from more experienced colleagues until I'm up to speed". There's plenty of time in the rest of the interview to boast about your strengths, this is the time to take your foot off the gas for 2 seconds and show that you're also capable of honesty, humility, self-awareness, and recognizing when you need help.

[@elisabethdiamond]

@@novelle.27The secret is to list a flaw that is relevant to the work environment (not a character flaw) AND to mention specific examples of how you are working to improve. For example “My biggest weakness in the workplace is verbal communication. As a shy and quiet person, I often find it difficult to verbally explain when I need something from my coworkers. Often my skill in written communication can make up for it, but I acknowledge that there are times when verbal communication is better. I recently joined [social group] to improve my social skills and get more comfortable talking to other people. I noticed that after joining the group, I sought out conversation with my coworkers more often at my last job. I still have a long way to go, but I am making progress.” Hopefully that helps. This advice came from my dad, who is a career counselor and has been on many hiring committees. However, according to him, the real secret is that the best workplaces have realized it is a stupid question and have stopped asking it.

[@kyerin]

I have become weirdly immune to youtuber and podcast ad reads as they are almost always for products I can't access here in the non-US world. So they really do go over my head and I'm just glad my fave creators can pay their bills. Maybe the lesson is I should be listening to more local stuff but oh well.

[@user-uv2cp1qd1j]

especially when it’s “Text MYNAME to” and then an impossibly short phone number that can only be the US

[@soymilkman]

Yknow what, that’s a good point I never thought about. KZbin as a career is far more accessible to those in the West, not just because of socio-economic reasons and inherent privileges that come from being born there, but also because the majority of sponsorships are intended for US/Western audiences, so the money is really only circulating for Western creators. Makes sense why all the richest KZbinrs are American

[@tomlxyz]

I'm not from the US but there are sponsorships that are still accessible to me but in most cases it's something that I'm not even remotely interested in

[@reaper_is_unavailable]

Same, not from the US so absolutely none of it applies to me. Plus, if those that could, my currency isn't strong enough to even think about impulse buying them.

[@cevothy]

I usually just end up skipping their sponsorship if it doesnt interest me (which it always mostly does). I already have an adblocker for the usual ads and dont want more ads in my life.

[@CBMX_GAMING]

This is actually a major topic in the LEGO community, of all things. LEGO creators are likely to be biased for monetary reasons. They have affiliate links to purchase LEGO sets in their description. Therefore they are motivated to hype up / show off the best aspects of a product or give a more positive review. If you are in LAN (basically a LEGO affiliate network) you get LEGO products for free, early. They are motivated to stay in LEGO's good graces even if they are allowed to give negative reviews. Hell, some LEGO creators are even "investment gurus" that hype up the value of certain retired sets... while also selling their hoarded sets at the high speculative price.

[@plastefuchs666]

And then there are channels like Held der Steine who mercilessly tears into Lego products and all other block products when he dislikes them. So the few times he praises a product all around or when he mentions upsides for certain people, you can be sure that it is pretty close to his own opinion.

[@REDDAWNproject]

This is a problem with film reviews in a smaller scale. Lego is more of a controlled market.

[@user-mf5hj8nm3k]

So interesting, though not surprising - to see these kinds of relationships and driving factors in all sorts of human communities, even LEGO) Thank you for sharing!

[@lauramarschmallow2922]

don't forget to mention that LEGO actually sued him. it was, as I recall, about his logo. they tried to silence him, but it didn't stop him and he still produces.

[@ava5030]

To be a little fair to the Lego guys, what you described is true of any one who does reviews for a living. Even gaming companies do similar things where they send early review copies. And the kinda messed up part is that they don't necessarily need to include additional payments or advertisements to incentivizes more positive reviews. Like example, if your partnered with lets say Nintendo and they send you early review copies. That means you get to have a well structured review up before every one else. And being early is important. And if you happen to give them a lot of critical reviews, why would they continue? They could just end the partnership and now you will have your review either uploaded much later than the rest or your forced to upload an first impressions type of video to stay on top. Like it's bonkers.

[@martynkal.1248]

Funnily enough in the beauty space the advice "if they mention negatives, it's probably a genuine endorsement" doesn't work. Influencers have said before that they might ask a sponsoring brand if they can talk about how (in a video showcasing multiple products from a brand, for example) a particular product didn't work for them, but who it might work instead.

[@sweypheonix]

That's giving big "my biggest flaw is I work too hard" answer energy in an interview

[@lindboknifeandtool]

Jeffree star

[@tomlxyz]

Saying "it didn't work for me" doesn't sound negative to me and I wouldn't use it to conclude that the influencer doesn't like it. It's more of a fake negative to fake genuinity

[@jesusramirezromo2037]

But that's not a negative, it doesn't sway opinion against the product

[@xyphold]

I hate the ads for male pattern baldness products. They are designed to make people feel shitty for being bald. Most people who try those products never had a chance for them to work. They only work on a few people and the doctors will tell you it'll work even if they know it won't work for you.

[@A2n7tA]

What I especially dislike about those ads, is how they frame it like some new revolutionary thing. "It's scientifically proven to work and here's the papers to prove it!" It's Minoxidil, of course it works! It's been used for decades and you can get multiple brands at your local pharmacy! People even get prescriptions for it! And because it's a pharmaceutical drug, they didn't even have to do any of the initial research and development.

[@nekomancer4821]

I think men should genuinly be okay with wearing wigs when they get older, its fun!

[@novelle.27]

@@nekomancer4821 yeah, that or just being bald in general - I don’t think baldness should be as stigmatized as it is

[@jamieryan2952]

​@@novelle.27 Breaking bad did some heavily lifting helping with that

[@SquiddoSquid]

only person who actually shows his results with this kinda thing is wavywebsurf since keeps is a real longtime sponsor of his and he actively uses the product

[@rugbywindow]

One of the big issues with gambling sponsors was/is that the streamers had large under 18 audiences.

[@MGX93dot]

he glosses over the moral aspect of it.

[@tomlxyz]

I think it's questionable regardless of age. A good portion of people will end up being addicts and those are the main revenue generators and they lose so much that the gambling sponsors pay big money for it

[@sunbleachedangel]

as if over 18 people can't have horrible gambling addictopn anyway

[@augustuslunasol10thapostle]

@@MGX93dotwhy wouldn’t you really?

[@FrancMcStien]

You can't even gamble legally if you're underage, so i don't see a big issue

[@dbabbc]

The way this video is shot and edited it so refreshing to watch. No background music, and barely any cuts. I don't really know why, but I like the feel of that more than the standardized video essay format.

[@CS0723]

Because the majority of content online is designed to appeal to the majority user base, children.

[@soymilkman]

Not only that but they’re all 2+ hours long. Sorry I don’t want to watch a movie about your high school level essay

[@OsirusHandle]

editing is fine

[@okayhellohihowyadoin]

It’s crazy how well spoken he is. Like he never uses filler words, he always speaks clearly, there are hardly any cuts, and it doesn’t seem like he’s reading from a script. Pretty impressive!

[@robemanchester2277]

I find it funny that you bring up reading reddit posts about products before buying, because I know that's precisely what I do, and what many people I know do. For all the flak that reddit (rightfully) gets, it's at least a place that people go to express their opinions in a much more honest manner (given the post isn't on r/all and they just want karma)

[@gulliver517]

same here, i look up almost anything for reviews on reddit. but reddit is also filled with astroturfing im sure, especially as it’s reputation for reviews becomes more common 😔

[@sorryi6685]

​@@gulliver517You can look at the profile history to see if it is a bot. Plus astroturfing usually occurs in highly upvoted posts.

[@LimabeanStudios]

No site is better for collecting the general feelings a specific group of people has towards something. There will be trolls and shills and such but it's pretty rare that I don't walk away from reddit with an accurate understanding of whatever product I'm looking into.

[@MrTheBigNoze]

Before almost every purchase I make, I look up “X product Reddit review” because most people share their honest opinions in situations like me

[@mushy470]

Same. Especially regarding something like skincare or which air fryer is the best, I think it is miles better than KZbin, Instagram and TikTok. Realistically, lots of individual normal people aren't going be lying about secret advertising. As insufferable as the people on reddit are, it does feel nice that most reviews are reviews and nit ads.

[@ClassicMiddleton]

Seriously though, the amount of times adding "reddit" to a product review search on Google has helped cut through the bullshit. Great insights, Shaq, and well spoken.

[@timon240]

Not just product reviews but almost any search benefits from adding reddit

[@Gandhi_Physique]

@@timon240 Exactly. Straight searches suck if it isn't a carbon copy question that is very likely to be asked by hundreds of thousands of people.

[@harkonar4093]

Not to mention some topics having very drawn out + clickbaity websites/articles and even some that seem AI-generated sigh Appending Reddit to searches truly saves us a lot of sanity and time

[@Gandhi_Physique]

@@harkonar4093 "How do I disable gestures Pixel 7" I click the article and it starts, "When I was a kid, tech wasn't really...." I made that up.. but similar has happened to me many times

[@mergenocide]

@@Gandhi_Physique DIY homeowner stuff is even worse as 90% of the time it directs to some HVAC/plumbing/electrician/etc. company giving superfical advice just so they can ultimately say "Ehhhhhh it's better you just call us and let us charge you $1000+" just to replace a $40 part that takes 20 minutes and a short youtube video or tip from reddit.

[@TheFreeBro]

This was incredibly salient. Extremely captivating, slow paced, seemingly off the cuff, but at the same time well thought out. I’m not just trying to be a goofball when I say that I would definitely enjoy listening to a solo podcast with you just fleshing out your thoughts on anything.

[@AzuriteCoast]

+

It's pretty ridiculous his good his command of language is.

[@nicholaswoollhead6830]

I want him and Adam Ragusea to do a podcast together

[@AVI-lh6rm]

In today's social media, it's rare to come across someone who not only speaks slowly and concisely, but also doesn't speak like the audience is a baby. No dumb distractions, just a man sharing his well-articulated thoughts. If I decide to get into content creation i'd want to be like this guy.

[@laurajean223]

+++

[@mogator808]

"isn't gonna buy your cow ass after getting all that free milk" is a killer line. You perhaps spend too much time thinking about this, but that's just cause it's clear based on your body of work and discussions of ethical boundaries that your knee-jerk reaction is gonna serve yourself and the viewers better than the careful thoughts of most people positioned to turn down ad reads. Ty for the long form content, your cooking music set was great, and I'm looking forward to your upcoming film appearance opposite Bowser

[@allyson--]

10:58

[@VasiliyOgniov]

I'm sorry but 14 minutes long video is not "long-form content"

[@E2theBizzle]

For me, if an influencer has ever shilled for Raid: Shadow Legends or any mid-tier app/game, I’m pretty much forever going to ignore any products they try to hype up. From that point on, it’s evident that they’ll be a spokesperson for anything so long as there is a check involved. At that point, their endorsement carries zero weight in my book.

[@085665372]

this is me but with creators that endorse VPN apps/sites

[@tree_tape]

That is an utterly bizarre perspective for me that left me stunned for a few seconds after reading it, but it does give me a good perspective on how effective these ads are, as it is actually the popular point of view. It's just that it's shocking to me that people give these ads any weight in the first place. They're just ads, of fucking COURSE the creator is just doing it because a check is involved. You mean to tell me that you willingly watch ad reads and sincerely believe that this creator you like wants you to buy the product? Are you telling me that this stupid "influencer" marketing strategy just works THAT fucking easily??? In the first place, how can you even come out of watching this video and still think this? Shaq basically just told you that the advertised products aren't something he would actually recommend. Like, no shit, all of it is "selling out" and being a "spokesperson for anything so long as there is a check involved". How are you so stupid as to believe otherwise? I guess I'm insane for thinking that everyone just skipped all ads cause they understood that the creator is just doing it for their livelihood.

[@E2theBizzle]

@@tree_tape 1) Lol, stunned? Calm down. You’re flying off the handle over someone sharing their opinion, an opinion which by no means warrants your reaction. Unless you regularly participate and benefit from the influencer ad scheme, your being offended by my comment makes zero sense. “Ahhhh this guy doesn’t like when people blindly endorse anything and everything! I’m stunned! STUNNED!” 2) Many, many KZbin creators and influencers vehemently reject product placements and ad endorsements because they, correctly, believe that it will diminish their credibility when they sincerely do want to promote a product or service. Dave Murray has talked about this many times on his channel. I suggest you branch out and start watching a wider range of content and creators.

[@monhi64]

Their endorsement should almost always carry zero weight. Just treat it as an introduction but whether you actually every send money the sponsors way should be separate. That’s why I almost appreciate raid, like no one takes it serious and the people who do accept that sponsor know that and there’s not really any deceit going on. Other sponsors though get so much worse than raid

[@AVI-lh6rm]

@@tree_tape I am utterly baffled that some people watch ANY ad in general be it on TV, youtube or anything, and actually think to buy it without doing research first. The VERY few times i've actually listened to an ad, I only save it for later to do research on it which i've only done around 4 times to my recollection.

[@BigDaddyDracula]

Is this an ad?

[@dylanwinne5133]

For Patreon

[@bluethan806]

This video is sponsored by: good will

[@Otacanthus]

Yes

[@TheMurrmursonbottle]

No, if this was an ad, he’d be legally required to say that.

[@magoomba]

Yeah, got the beer

[@lil_cringe]

it's not just about 'don't buy the stuff influencers sell you impulsively'. being bombarded with ads 24/7 also contributes to thinking that you can just buy your way out of everything. mental health issues? better help financial troubles? masterworks no career? brilliant courses these only sell you at best band-aid solutions while you ignore larger issues with non-stop consumption

[@uglypinkeraser]

I used to be a nobody, but now with Established Titles, I’m a Lord nobody

[@XDarkxSteel]

@@uglypinkeraser laird

[@totally_not_a_bot]

Mental health issues? Your insurance has a list of in-network certified counsillors and psychiatrists who are gauranteed to show to appointments. There are also services which aggregrate listings of licensed therapists and psychiatrists for the uninsured. Monthly therapy is still cheaper than insurance. Financial trouble? Track your money and figure out exactly why. Tip, berries, meat and alcohol are expensive, and you really don't need five monthly subscriptions. No career? Your home state's Department of Labor can help for free, and there are almost certainly local groups who can help with your resume. I know my home state has a website for finding apprenticeships in your choice of field. Also, KhanAcademy is both free and thorough. Edited for thoroughness and to be less sarcastic.

[@theplaceiputmyprojects5498]

Also - offloading your ability to confront every material and social issue onto a prepackaged service makes you a generally less capable person in daily life.

[@paulie-g]

Brilliant actually has good courses and I've not seen it sold as a 'career finder/builder'. It's very useful for people who want to learn outside of their professional field. Teaching well is difficult (as I've observed both doing it and being the learner). Yes, you can find free videos and pirated textbooks, but no one is putting together interactive aids and doodads, quizzes etc and packaging it all for you for free. Brilliant has a very decent value proposition and ins't usually sold as a crutch for a life problem.

[@chandlermiller3944]

This is the longest-winded ad for a weird water bottle I've ever seen.

[@devanbrowne8706]

I swear they should show this video in schools. I'm constantly impressed by how clearly, cleanly and level-headedly you present your ideas. You make legitimate criticisms without ever being dismissive or disrespectful.

[@MrInsdor]

I diaagree with the notion of advertising something harmful isn't any different You as an influencer have a connection to your audience a billboard won't have also keep in mind your audience might still be young or have a past with a relevant addiction

[@a1ntcry1noveru]

This. The washing of the hands as to say “that’s on you bro if you buy this product I present to you” is kind of … icky. Like , I appreciate the information of the video, but saying something like that is indicative of one’s mindset. It’s a bit, “a check is a check, and I won’t pass up money.”

[@cooledcannon]

The point is that if he advertises other overpriced things it's basically a scam. You are making money by people losing money if the product is bad.

[@cooledcannon]

@@a1ntcry1noveru That's the point. Advertising bad products is bad, and it's close to advertising gambling bad.

[@acookie7548]

agree. candy isn't as addicting as gambling - even if you bought it once and you didn't like it you probably wouldn't buy it again because it won't make you feel good even prospectively, in the future. gambling makes you feel bad but you'll probably gamble again anyway because of that potential high. alcohol is also addictive but as a cooking channel it's a more grayish area bc if its like the bourbon he said that worked nicely in some recipes of his it could be ok, i guess if the emphasis isn't on how cheap it is and easy to get idk

[@RamenNoodle1985]

Philip DeFranco keeps running into problems with sponsors. It's almost like he takes the contract w/o actually looking into whether or not the product (usually a new app) is any good (Robin Hood, Better Help, etc). It kind of sucks, especially since he sells so much PDS merch anyway.

[@Rhaifha]

Honestly, I feel like any healthcare/financial type of ad is going to be risky.

[@shadow_realm47]

@@Rhaifha financial /gambling / crypto ads are a strict no - no.

[@FranziskaNagel445]

​@@shadow_realm47 what about tax apps?

[@shadow_realm47]

@@FranziskaNagel445 learn to do your own taxes👀 If you learn to the tax code in your country it'll benefit you when you decide to run a farm, business or even are a salaried person. Once you understand how deductions work you'll understand how to better keep your money for the long term. If an app does the job for you, you'll get the job done but miss out on the education and potential wealth.

[@buttercupcoffee5972]

Hasnt betterhelp improved? Ive seen a least 5 other youtube regularly being sponsored by them, on occasion.

[@hamsterbrigade]

Thank you for pointing this out. I think in this age, where companies have convinced consumers that they're friends, it's refreshing. I believe a proper review is always going to list actual cons since that is the essence of design(tradeoffs).

[@dee-beeo]

l L

[@SkylineFTW97]

If I as a car enthusiast and auto mechanic review a car, then even if I love 99% of it, I should be able to find a flaw or something that someone else may perceive as a flaw. Like my 2015 Honda Fit LX. It's simple, basic, easy to work on, and fun to drive. I don't mind the lack of integrated infotainment, but for some that's a negative. I wouldn't be doing my due diligence if I didn't at least acknowledge my own biases as they come up.

[@legatus9081]

My general rule of thumb is never buying anything I get advertised to. Unless the content creator I'm watching has proved his integrity before, I won't even give a second look to the advertised product

[@nyalan8385]

If the product looks interesting, research it, and if it seems like a genuine worthwhile product that fulfills a need you really need fulfilled and isn’t something you can get somewhere else for cheaper or better quality, then sure go ahead and use the influencer’s link and get the product you need. Otherwise don’t bother, which is 99% of all cases

[@Liggliluff]

Yes, companies that advertise gets that money for selling overpassed bad products, or doing other shady businesses like lies. If you find a product you find interesting, find it from a different brand, you'll likely get it for cheaper and for higher quality.

[@SkylineFTW97]

Also if the creator is in a field or position where they have reason to use that product on their channel normally. Like if I watch South Main Auto Repair and I see Eric O speak positively or negatively about a tool, it makes sense for him to do so.

[@heroclix0rz]

That Pedro Pascal ad was super weird. I think that's the only time my partner and I sat through a random ad we could have skipped. Guess it worked. No way I'm gonna play that garbage tho, already forgot what it was called.

[@acookie7548]

i like seeing his face and thats it lmao

[@GadBoDag]

Damn, you got to Free Beer level? You made it, bro.

[@TheRojam12]

fr that’s insane, talk about envy

[@lindboknifeandtool]

Straight up that’s awesome. Some dudes would see that as the finish line😂

[@EastofVictoriaPark]

Now he's got to upgrade it from Kirin to Sierra Nevada, which I think Epic Gardening has a sponsorship with.

[@sebastronaut92]

Strongly disagree that gambling ads are the same as any other ads that get people to spend money. It’s addictive and destroys many lives. I know you sort of said that, but I think your equivalency is dangerous.

[@CallMeRabbitzUSVI]

Same, thats my only gripe with this video

[@netshaq2]

I advertise alcohol, which is addictive and life-ruining

[@sebastronaut92]

@@netshaq2 ok if you think alcohol is as bad as gambling, don’t advertise either.

[@bettyunicorn6132]

@@netshaq2 don’t advertise anything I’m not buying your crap

[@ZizixxSamurai]

​@@netshaq2 Solution: Don't advertise something that ruins lives. If this is Your only source of money, find a job (any, for that matter) instead of promoting something harmful to others.

[@nk4j272]

Not promoting things that are bad for consumers(like gambling) and not lying about the products are some good starting points for sponsor choosing morals.

[@netshaq2]

“Bad for consumers” is way too broad. Candy? Alcohol? Social media?

[@comment_below]

can i just say its nice to see a KZbinr holding a mic and not wearing headphones for no reason

[@GadBoDag]

For real though I love that you are a POSITIVE ROLE MODEL thank you Shaq for sharing the strength of your conviction

[@coobapo]

I know you've worked in ads & marketing before, I'd love to hear more of your thoughts and experiences in the industry. Gotta be a great pipeline going from marketing -> content creation, knowing how to gain and retain attention.

[@Coffeekinns]

This reminds me that Hank Green on his podcast Dear Hank and John was my first encounter with ad reads that actually included caveats and a hint of con to the product's pros. It was a breathe of fresh air and really caught my ear.

[@kidyuki1]

Every extra bit of insight from you, either on here or the main channel, is greatly appreciated.

[@averyeml]

The nice thing about watching so much KZbin is that you sort of get a secondhand view of the script. Like, you mean to tell me that every single KZbinr who gets a Casper/whoever mattress happened to get one several months ago (it’s always months ago even if they’ve done these ads for 2+ years) on their own and love it, but also happened to film themselves unpacking it? Or how every person who drinks a certain drink mix just happened to be buying it on their own before they ever got the sponsorship? Or how EVERYONE has that one show on Netflix specifically that they use the flavor of the week VPN to find? Or how everyone trying a certain supplement happens to use 3 of the same 5-6 adjectives to describe how that supplement makes them feel?

[@cooljammer00]

Definitely thought about the pepper grinder thing before you brought it up as an example of not being able to force people to think critically. You tell them "X thing is useless/bad, don't buy it", and people buy it anyway because they're stupid. It makes you wonder if it was all worth it, but you have a stronger sense of ethics than most other people. It's why you made this video in the first place instead of just raking in the ad money.

[@vixxcelacea2778]

It's not stupidity, it's visibility and novelty. This is why simply people knowing you exist is the biggest hurdle. Both for companies and youtubers. If no one knows you are even a thing, they can't engage at all. When we know something exists, we think about it. This is why feeding trolls is ill advised, this is why drama channels talking about crappy people doing crappy things gives those crappy people and the crappy things they do more power. The most powerful thing you can do is to ignore something or someone. Adverts are entirely about stealing your attention. It's why they are the way they are. Once that's stolen, they have you to some degree. That's why billions of dollars go into studying how to do this, best way to psychologically manipulate. Ask any advertiser, they'll tell you they aren't immune. It's not something someone can best. No one is immune to advertising. No one is smarter or more able to recognize their own biases, that's why we need others to tell us when we're doing something dumb, because we all do it. Just a you knowing about the stupid pepper grinder makes you more likely to buy it than not knowing it even exists. That's more powerful than people realize. You can think you're better or smarter, but that actually makes you more prone to falling for even more obvious adverts. Companies love people who think they're savvy and appeal to it constantly. I'm not savvy. I've been fooled more times than I can count by a variety of things and been angry every time I realized I "fell for it". Most recent one was an admittedly funny and very clever commercial for a credit card. I'm mad that I can't forget it because we don't choose those things. Instead, I simply vouch for not letting possibly genuinely stupid people get fooled or smart, but still human people get fooled and say the entire thing is too manipulative and the way we advertise shouldn't be legal outright. Let things go to word of mouth and pretty packaging with intentionally boring af adverts that can only show product on a turn table, an AI voice informs viewer where to buy, what product is (no flowery or subjective language. IE this is a dark chocolate bar. It is square shaped, 100 grams) price, ingredients if applicable, legal warnings. That's it. That's all you get to say. No attractive person to show it to you, to give paid for opinions, no imagery to call on the primal brains response to food (IE using condensation or shiny particles to make us subconsciously associate soft drinks as thirst quenching because we relate shiny to water sources.) nothing. Just a boring advert to let you know it exists in the exact same way everything else is advertised. Seeing a 200 dollar pepper grinder spinning on a turn table with boring elevator music while an AI voice tells you that it's a pepper grinder that's 200 dollars and can't go on about how it's got 4 rotating grinding 8k patented action wheels for the smoothest grind possible, because none of that is factual and is opinion based, is absolutely going to reduce sales. People would buy it for the novelty or because they like the design or possible social status, which will be a thing regardless.

[@samskpopcorner]

“I wish you infinite wealth and peace” is absolutely wonderful thank you

[@m.f.3347]

my counter-counterargument for your claim at 7:38 is that at least the cereal (or any other real product) is a tangible good with a value proposition. When I spend 10 bucks on overpriced cereal, at least I'm actually going to get a box of cereal. Plus, nobody goes in debt buying cereal. Gambling entices people with chance, when more than likely they'll end up with nothing or even losing everything they have. There was also that whole scandal where gambling/lootbox sites were rigging the rates in favour of streamers to make the returns seem bigger than they actually were. Not to mention the extremely dicey subject of the ethics of advertising to children, which let's be honest are the majority audience of big Twitch streamers.

[@netshaq2]

Credit card users go into debt to buy groceries every week

[@PartialCollapse]

@@netshaq2Yeah, but there’s no inner-monologue saying that you’ll have a chance to get out of debt, if only you buy 1 more box of cereal. All gambling is built on warping people’s sense of value, chance, and risk. There’s also the fact that gambling companies business models aren’t built around tricking a large group of people with a useless item, it’s primary money makers are a small percentage of “whales” that will spend literally everything into ruin. Put everything together and instead of resembling an add for overpriced cereal it becomes, more comparable to an advertisement for opioids or Mlm’s

[@airplanes_aren.t_real]

​@@netshaq2 it's kind of weird reading this type of "gotcha" comment after you repeatedly talked about how bad impulsive buying is I agree with most of the video but the gambling segment feels a bit misguided at best, you can't treat gambling the same way you treat a cereal brand, gambling, smoking and alcohol companies have a vested interest in an addicted consumer base that physiologically can't stop buying their products,, you can't even argue that is pure chance because the companies that produce these apps and sites put algorithms specifically designed to give just enough wins for the consumer to believe it outweighs their loses

[@AnAnxiousFroggo]

​@@netshaq2 but they do get groceries, domt they? Sounds better to me than crppling debt through gambling addictions.

[@Alihzahn]

​@@netshaq2false equivalences do more harm than good

[@Jamsalt]

the difference between protein cereal and gambling is one of those things is addictive and it's not the protein cereal.

[@netshaq2]

Alcohol is addictive

[@Jamsalt]

@@netshaq2 ya? the point is people often feel icky promoting addictive things. Alcohol counts in that. You dont. Which is your own decision. Morality is subjective. But it feels disingenuous to act like promoting something addiction and something just sort of over priced is the same. Its not necessarly "difficult" to stick to ones OWN values. Someone peomoting Over Priced Razor™ but not Gambling App 34™ isnt compromising their values. The issue isnt "making money off fans" its "making money off directing ones fans to addiction". Values will however differ between people and maybe even over time. Someone may not see an issue promoting Gambling App 34™ at 20 but do at 26. Does that mean they didnt stick to their values? Or just that their values changed? Does the distinction matter?

[@tsawy6]

I've not been like, a devoted watcher of your videos, they're just something I've been tangentially aware of, but I've always had nothing but the utmost respect for the way you interface with advertisements

[@drawingablankesq]

I really appreciate this video. Maybe a year or two ago I made a comment on a video about how your ad for a shipped to your door product was the opposite of the message you had previously preached about rejection of the modern convenience we enjoy today. "If funny internet man says to buy [THING] I should do it!" It's been tough trying to parse the should I, shouldn't I argument, but you are right, just because you like a thing doesn't mean I'll like the same thing and I should keep my hard earned cash in my pocket.

[@shadow_realm47]

Easiest way to do that is only support creators that you like who have less than 100k subs or get less than 100k views( basically they don't make much money from this and put forward genuine quality videos) And only get products that won't harm you ( no addictive gaming gambling crypto or financial stuff) Most big influencers don't need our money they're already Richy rich and they get paid up front for ad reads.

[@w4439]

In 2024, it's so refreshing to see a youtube video of a guy speaking soberly about a topic at a natural cadence, and not needing to mentally filter out stock videos, sound gags, and jumps edits. My brain really liked this. Subscribed.

[@robinapplegate8138]

I like this slower, hangoutier format!

[@petersmith1190]

It's impressive that you're even bothered Shaq, has made me loyal to your channel because I appreciate the thought behind everything you produce.

[@TheSlipperyNUwUdle]

The downside of library options for audiobooks (like Libby or hoopla) is that they don’t have everything you could want like Audible and they have limits on how many you can check out a month. Also, there’s a waitlist is you want to listen to a really popular book, and they only have a limited number of copies to loan out (even tho it’s a digital item).

[@CallMeRabbitzUSVI]

Thats by design, remember any limits on digital content is totally artificial

[@burnforburn]

You can circumvent this by getting multiple library cards for different libraries. Just look up like a fake name and address generator and use the zip code for the area the library is in. I’ve never seen them ask for actual verification you live in that area.

[@schwingedeshaehers]

its by design if the copyright holder, not the library in that case. ​@@CallMeRabbitzUSVI

[@Frank_Lee_Terrible]

Just pirate books and later pay for the ones you liked, same with music. I never bothered with any of those apps and subscriptions.

[@shjilz]

​@@Frank_Lee_TerribleSame, I know a lot of people who pirate things don't intend to ever buy the thing but that's probably because they're low income or in a country that banned the thing. I treat piracy like either a free trial (actual free trials suck, I'm not giving you my credit card info) or a huge middle finger to something that's overpriced (like adobe programs - borderline price gouging because theyre the "industry standatd") or a company I hate

[@Ladderphobia]

A salient message I'm glad you shared. At the same time, I did buy that md/wtr milk frother wand you made a short about maybe about a year ago. I love it so much lol

[@kriscastro]

loving the increasing frequency of short lil posts on this channel, shaqy

[@scpWyatt]

I bet this is an ad.

[@checkadam42]

If an influencer says anything negative about a product it's not an ad? Laughable. There have been ad campaigns on traditional media where the product is made fun of. It's an old strategy. The bottom line is that advertising is designed to put the product's name in your mind. So that when you think to yourself, "gee, I need car insurance," the most prolific car insurance ad will pop in your head, even if those ads are making fun of the brand on their face. Allowing an influencer (or, rather, instructing an influencer) to say something negative about a product/brand is a strategy to make the endorsement seem more authentic.

[@netshaq2]

another heuristic i have is when ur writing (and editing) big paragraph-long comments on youtube videos like "hmmm... LaUgHaBLe", it's time to log off

[@checkadam42]

@@netshaq2 😭

[@martinrose2668]

That’s the most honest take on ads and sponsorships. Thank you. My two cents is that literally no ad or sponsorship is truly ethical, because these products success and profit directly relies on extracting more out of the consumer than the product is actually worth. It’s already true for any classic “offline” store, but these highly marketed items online are overpriced even more.

[@Bipolar.Baddie]

I love ads for "brand new" products such as Keeps because I know that I can just check if there's a generic brand somewhere else. I can get a 6-pack of Costco brand minoxidil, the same product in Keeps, for $34.50 instead of $49.98. ALWAYS check if there are generic brands of the same product!!!

[@ToriKo_]

Wow. I went to like this video like 10 ten times watching it. I can’t believe how well you articulated these thoughts, I really value not only the content of this video but your style of communication too. Thank you!

[@lauralaforge558]

His day job is some sort of educational communication . He is obviously very good at it.

[@KOME11]

It's so refreshing to listen to someone who has an attention span and can talk without needing to cut every other second. Genuinely find it commendable

[@ChavezDIY]

Superb video. This is the deepest thought I've seen any youtuber bring to these issues. I often get offers to "push" products and I just can't do it. I also have not done any paid sponsorships.

[@Infantry12345]

Thanks for making this video, I really appreciate the patience and respect you are delivering your message with here. As someone who is often one of those everything-is-an-ad people, I recognize that my frustrations are to a good degree inneffectual: I'd like the world to be a lot different to what it is now, not just about how many ads there are, but there's the inertia of human psychology and huge market and societal forces at play, getting annoyed in the comment section of some influencer just isn't very conducive to anything worthwhile. Its good to be reminded about the how's and why's things can be the way they are in a plain way.

[@everydayisablessing590]

i literally get annoyed sometimes just from going out and having to see car logos on every vehicle everywhere i look but what am i gonna do about that. scratch out every logo? call the ceo of ford?? its easier to take it out on an individual person who has their comments open like at least you have somewhere to aim lol

[@TheTundraTerror]

I do not accept the premise that being ignorant of the protect you're sponsoring is an excuse.

[@centromeda]

yeah, that argument seems biased from someone who has probably been called out for doing an ad for someone without doing their due diligence. time and time again i see creators sign contracts with companies with awful reputations because they didn't research or read the terms of service. (betterhelp cough cough)

[@markbrotherson]

drinking alcohol is also a deadly addiction.....like gambling

[@totally_not_a_bot]

"Would I personally spend money on this, would I feel comfortable giving it as a gift, would I feel comfortable asking someone else to spend money on it?" I would absolutely for a knife made by Mercer Cullinary. Likely carried at your local restaurant supply. Or "Is it good? Is it useful? Is it relevant?" I'm sorry, but a NordVPN spyware placement falsely advertising increased security during a cooking video (someone else's in this case) is none of these. I'd say those are two solid heuristics.

[@VS-kf5qw]

I appreciate the amount of detail and thought you put into this discussion. I'd like to think that if there's people who are buying fire extinguishers through your affiliate link instead of the hardware store, it's people making a deliberate decision to direct some of those dollars at you. It's hard to feel like any of us are making an active choice in response to advertising, ever, so it's refreshing to be able to sit back and approach that question again.

[@girlgreenivy]

can Rhode please supply this man with an unlimited amount of free mic stands

[@IsaacBTTF]

You're a good man. Honesty on KZbin...incredible :)

[@Quixan]

He was paid to be honest. I wonder how many of the brands he mentioned paid for this video. I bet it was the pepper cannon /s

[@Flashv28]

Wow, I really enjoyed hearing your thoughts on sponsored content on youtube. About this strange water bottle with the smell capsules: the company is a startup from Germany and all the people I know who own such a bottle I would call himbos

[@seanvalentinus]

Man, this channel has all my favourite videos by you. When I get my next job I'll give your Patreon a go if there's more like this on there. If this is thinking too much about this stuff, I don't want to think a reasonable amount about it.

[@SamGarcia]

What a massively informative and nuanced, thought provoking video for an ad about a cucumber scented water bottle

[@Homer-OJ-Simpson]

Just saw this video and it not only shows you are a caring person but a smart person who isn’t afraid to say what they don’t know and what they do know

[@lachlanhodge1501]

Damn, this is a good ad. But in all seriousness, thank you for such an honest piece. This was such a lovely and strangely relaxing watch. Keep it up IS ❤

[@isweartofuckinggod]

This is a very important video to have made, and I am glad it made its way onto my feed.

[@fntthesmth423]

YES FINALLY GOD I've been posting comments for years on any audible sponsorship i found that Libby also exists, it's nice to see a real, actual mention of it :3

[@Odisher7]

Well sometimes the influencer says "this is sponsored" and then says a couple of bad things, so what then?

[@ElizabethUkeh]

I doubt the brand will pay them😂

[@ashypharaoh8407]

Born to enjoy products. Forced to find the good ones and purchase them

[@jayemm7942]

never prioritize someone else’s brand over your own brand. if an ad undermines the values your brand is built upon, the damage will likely outweigh the payout. thanks for the media literacy talk, sincere videos challenging capitalist consumerism are massively underrated.

[@Alex-cw3rz]

The reason most of these things are advertised by influencers is because they are not good enough for main stream advertisments. I.e. there is some problem or can only seem like a good proposition when in relation to a parasocial relationship

[@Eclyptical]

It's actually wild to see someone talking about this stuff so objectively

[@davidlawrence4351]

The internet doesn't deserve this man honestly

[@fabricator.cap.hill.seattle]

This is what Tim Berners Lee wanted.

[@Gandhi_Physique]

Almost nothing is deserved, except things like human rights.

[@tariq9702]

That last part was FUCKING BARS. NO FREE PROMO EVER. Literally no point in aiding a corporation without mutual benefit

[@Bejeodiehrubridjehfoekdjriwknr]

One of the problems with KZbin is that even if they aren't paid for reviewing an item, in a roundabout way they are via YT earnings. And if they regularly give products negative reviews then companies may be less likely to send them products so their earnings could go down.

[@nicholasrosella2952]

Awesome vid With the gambling stuff. I mean if someone buys an expensive product at least they have the product. They lost money but got something in return and won't keep buying it over and over going into debt. Gambling isn't like that

[@netshaq2]

Are you under the impression that people dont go into debt to buy products

[@nicholasrosella2952]

It's a lot less likely

[@netshaq2]

The comment posters amaze me every day

[@crimsintv]

"buy-now-pay-later" usage is only greatly increasing year over year. Tons of people are going into debt over commercial products.

[@confusedwhale]

The best advice that I don't need is, "will affiliating my brand with said product hurt my brand in the long run? Will doing the quick buck action sour my audience against me?" -obviously, these are not the exact words used, but that's the spirit... So, yeah-

[@Bearbytez]

The only youtuber promoted ad I've ever given a shit about was Norm Macdonald's short lived (RIP) mangrate ads. "Jesus Christ is any of your family fuckin alive!?"

[@the_bottomfragger]

My god those were perfect. I'm sure they were still much more effective than if he'd just seriously read some statement out loud.

[@sheeperskipps]

KZbin has been trying to get me to watch this video for so long. For some reason, it's been at the top of my recommendations far longer than any other video. Having watched it, dang you're actually trying to give not just advice but also practical applications of critical analysis of video sponsorships. Very cool

[@jayst]

Really interesting video. I didn’t realize being an influencer was so nice. No wonder all the kids want to be one

[@LunaBeth97]

I really appreciate you making this video so thank you! I used to be very involved in the beauty community during its heyday and even though I knew that the content creators would benefit from me buying products in some way and that they didn't need to be completely truthful about the product, I still got swayed by the "this product is so amazing you need to buy it asap" rhetoric several times only to be disappointed when they were good quality products but not as outstanding or game changing that they made them seem like. It also fostered the idea of spending a lot of money on products you don't actually need so that you can have a huge collection like the influencers do and be constantly trying out as many new products as possible to finally find a perfect product for you. I'm ultimately thankful for buying into the hype as I now know exactly what I like and if something is worth the price so I can get a good deal on products that I'll actually use rather than taking a risk on more expensive products that I may never use because more expensive = better product or that certain brands will always create good products which isn't true. Nowadays I'll use influencers as a means to know about new products on the market and do my own separate research to find if a product will work for me when I actually want/ need it rather than buying stuff just for the sake of it and getting that dopamine rush. It unfortunately seems like there's a resurgence of this negative mindset on tiktok since there's a new, unaware, young market of people who take influencer marketing as gospel and can be easily manipulated into buying products but thankfully there's also people who are aware of this manipulation and attempt to educate people so they don't fall for it.

[@PokeNebula]

Yo, i’ve been looking for this video for a while now. I saw this video a long time ago and it’s lived rent free in my head ever since. Thanks for this

[@etienne2315]

Gambling is addictive though while eating cereal (unless its laced with cocaine) isen't. Also i know of some former gambling addicts who got back into gambling after being flooded with ads during soccer games and watching random videos.

[@Liggliluff]

(4:00) I'm still going to comment on that and saying that it's not a paid ad because they didn't pay you (with money or products) to say specifically that. There was no agreement beforehand so you weren't paid to do it, and therefore it's not a paid ad. I'm specifically referring to if you were to say that specific line.

[@TheFreeBro]

Tbh that’s a sweet voodoo ranger situation you got there. Those “ads” don’t bother me, just makes me jealous

[@scottycunningham1413]

Shaq is a man of integrity

[@rumpusRoom_]

I do not follow how the overpriced cereal truly (and obviously) compares to gambling, unless I am unaware of a cereal-specific addiction lingering around.

[@MMedic23]

Thank you for having CC on your video

[@exigency2231]

i really love this style of video. the way you directly tal;k is excellent and the script is great. good video

[@StrikingCrayon]

The answer is an alternative economy. Bummer we need to build it this century. Double bummer I was selected by chance to do my part of the groundwork. Sucks we have so much interia to overcome. Glad to hear your voice from within the abyss.👍

[@schoo9256]

Do you believe in lightworkers, by any chance? Because what you wrote sounds like a lightworker having a bad day lol.

[@PokeNebula]

Lightworker? That seems to me what someone would call themself when they have a weak sense of identity, self-worth, and self-validation, and so spread themself thin trying to take responsibility for the problems of everyone else in their life. So yeah maybe me.

[@CoolAnagram]

I never buy anything from KZbin ads unless im already gonna buy it

[@dityacivilizacii]

To me this is trying to shift the responsibility. Yes, the viewer is the one making the final decision, but you also not a passive bystander in this. Influencers should do a minimum due diligence before accepting the deal - make sure it’s not a scam, it actually works, claims in the ad are true, it doesn’t harm people. I will watch an ad for raid shadow legends, but seeing people accepting sponsorship from better help - no. We’ve been through this, anyone can quickly google the name of the company and see what it’s about

[@YSPFrogGod]

Wow how well spoken. I'm very impressed, earned a sub

[@KathleenIllustrated]

i enjoyed this topic but am extra impressed that this was filmed in like, what, 3-4 takes? okay professional orator!!! go off!!!

[@duLuded]

Internet Shaq is an absolute legend for his integrity on this platform

[@schmules101]

You are so smart and articulate!

[@Nicenigel14]

I could listen to this all day

[@Jeremy-ot6pb]

comparing encouraging gambling (an addiction) to encouraging people to pay for an overpriced product is a pretty bad comparison. especially with the manipulative and exploitative tactics of the sports betting industry.

[@trustrossa8673]

ive always loved how up front youve been about your ad reads, wish more people were more clear in saying that 'I AM BEING PAID TO MENTION THIS, IT IS MY JOB' lol

[@reedsut]

People never realize how much of the economy is just connecting suppliers to buyers.

[@Aldevier27]

I can’t believe you made this giant ad for that scented water bottle.

[@yossarian00]

ill sooner do meth hotrails than buy a single thing because of an ad from a youtuber

[@TVDandTrueBlood]

Y'all this is the first I heard of Libby audiobooks.

[@TVDandTrueBlood]

And I use audible daily