PR fuels overconsumption and why it's the trap of free stuff

[@sablemuse]

Small creators often have better engagement. 10% engagement with 10,000 followers is just as good as 1% engagement with 100,000 followers. And brands don’t even have to pay you much, if at all. It’s great for them. I stopped influencing because I didn’t want anymore free crap. I never promoted anything I didn’t genuinely like/use, but after a while it’s like, how many of the same type of product can you recommend? It’s dishonest, even if you don’t intend to be. Everything cannot be your “favorite” and your favorites shouldn’t be changing every week because you received new PR. But that’s the influencer hamster wheel and it’s hard for folks to give it up.

[@shawnaripari]

yes, exactly! I read a figure of around 8-10% engagement so you're spot on

[@dinygoesglam]

the main prob to me about PR is, the influencer, because they are not buying with their own money, looses the ability to proper assess if the product is worth it or not (that amount of money, with pros and cons cuz at the end of the day, my money value can be different than yours). They dont know how much it really costs the individual, how many hours of their work will be invested in that purchase. When someone goes and pays for the product and then test it and realizes it is good but not good enough for the $ it costs, that is the true review if a product is at least worth to someone (cuz it is good, and is fairly priced).

[@stephaniestewart312]

Agree

[@pryak6581]

Finally someone. What's the point in reviewing or recommending anything if you've been sent those items for free? The intial appeal of online recommendations from a "peer like" person was relatabilty & authenticity. Someone's own personal choices when buying and testing products with a limited budget of money they themselves earned. Their unique personal style and personality were the key selling points in the first place. Nowadays every influencer gets sent the same stuff, they review/recommend the same stuff, for god's sake they even use the same talking points, recite them like a poem. No influencer can be critical anymore because their livelyhoods and especially their lux lifestyles depend on it. From pr, gifts, fancy events, hotel stays, travels abroad, opportunities to put out products in their name... all of this equals hush money.

[@cwalsh4992]

The near constant videos of PR unboxings turns me off subscribering to a content creator or will very rapidly make me unsubscribe from one.

[@dinygoesglam]

I am now at min 25 and remembered something I meant to mentioned on your declutter video but forgot. One of the solutions for the declutted product is often said to give to fam and friends. I imagine, at one point, with the amount of declutter some do, these fam and friends cannot handle more products. The influencer is then lying about sending to fam and friends (and maybe is just throwing them in the garbage), or they became sort of a "dumpster" for their unwanted PR.

[@shawnaripari]

yeah, there's so much stuff. Sometimes creators own the makeup collections of 10 people or maybe more. You have a regular crew of 3-4 and there's probably overwhelm there too.

[@Volundur9567]

Why not give unused surplus products to viewers?

[@angelaa.9915]

PR is so effective. Do you guys remember seeing the Milk jelly blushes on all the makeup/beauty channels, on every social media platform, and then, of course, those same, silly blushes popped up in Sephora hauls from smaller creators 2 months later? And a year from now we’ll see them in project pans. It’s a fascinating cycle to observe.

[@Itsstuff7328]

Lol... Omg. So true. I can't wait to see them all getting "decluttered" (i.e. thrown in the trash). They'll say something about the "formula" or patchy color

[@sandyk2310]

That make-up will also be offered in subscription 📦

[@alicem1111]

I’m glad you mentioned the planner community- I thought of that area of KZbin throughout this video. They’ve definitely got the IT girl thing going on too. The art community is also guilty of getting product and declaring it the most fantastic thing around and the person barely used it on camera- never put it through its paces. The skincare arena too…

[@shawnaripari]

yeah, just about every commodity based niche has a version of this

[@ghoulchan7525]

the art space def has this too. i have even seen it. one art brand that comes to mind is Ohuhu alcohol markers. it doesn't matter how inexpensive they are compared to Copic. they might even be great. but the amount of people i see them sponsor or just give free stuff too makes it feels a bit sus. like do you like these markers. or do you want to keep the company happy so they keep sending you their newest sets. plenty of other brands too. i saw one person swatch a watercolor set. didn't even let them dry fully before going " yeah these are good, go buy" like sure it was a YT short. but also... oof.

[@alicem1111]

@@ghoulchan7525 I know what you mean!! I actually watch any art “review” I’m interested in on mute so I can see what I need to see and not listen to their BS😹. I think the word “review” is being used loosely across KZbin.

[@ghoulchan7525]

@@alicem1111 i tend to only trust the reviews if they mention they bought it themselves. If it's sponsored/pr right in the trash their opinion goes. Even if you do blind testing Jazza. As for Ohuhu markers. Never tried em myself. But it's not like i can just walk into a store and pick up a few colors. You have to buy their sets. As to my knowledge you can't buy single colors. Copic. I just can go to an art store and pick 2 or 3 i want and be done. It's how i have over 50 of them now. I just slowly added to my stash over the years.

[@DL-idk]

I know what you mean. In the past I’ve bought things under the influence, but later realized that the influencer never used that thing ever again in their videos. I love the things I got (definitely much more than the influencer who got it for free) so it’s not a loss for me. But I can’t help but thinking about that product that got me into making the purchase and where did it end up. They’ve shown so many free stuffs in their channel. I’m still wondering where all those stuffs go. They can’t possibly use them all, because it’s just way too many for one person, one family or even adding in the extended friend groups.

[@MyiaLaShaun]

If I got all those boxes in my studio apartment. I would have so much anxiety.

[@MusikGirl23]

Me too…me too.

[@AllTheArtsy]

anyone who gets that many boxes.... dont live in studio apartments

[@StarBelle23]

The only use PR hauls have for me is as a guide for what brands I will NOT be spending my hard earned money on! It’s ridiculous that they send gobs of free product (usually also in excessively wasteful packaging for presentation purposes) to privileged influencers who could easily afford to buy this stuff themselves, in order to sell it to folks who actually work for a living. Why should my purchase be subsiding the wasteful excess of someone who probably won’t even appreciate or use it? At the end of the day, when someone receives a freebie, they cannot be completely unbiased. They don’t have any “skin in the game,” like someone who actively sought out a product & paid for it themself with actual expectations of how it would perform. Can we just stop rewarding this endless cycle of waste & dishonesty?

[@cassandraknight8804]

Yes! Well said.

[@ChessieChess]

AMEN

[@Miwako_vklolita]

i have accepted sponsors in the past but i stopped. i never got paid but they wanted a video and posts in my social medias. it was like you said fun and im a very curious person so i would be happy to show them. i have chosen to stick more with companies that seem more trustful and not just every one. honestly, making those videos are very tiring after a while. they start demanding and expecting more and i have felt hurt after some saying "we can do more in the future and paid" then never came back. i want companies that really care about me and my content.

[@BreezyBanter]

I have a lot of thoughts, so I'll try to be succinct lol! After watching beauty content for several years at this point, I have mostly negative feelings towards PR and the way most KZbinrs create content around it. First and foremost, it might be free product for the person receiving it, but that cost is baked into the sales price. So if I watch someone who uses a PR product and go out and buy it because I'm influenced to, I'm basically paying to advertise to myself to buy something, which is wild as a concept to me. There's one KZbinr who I generally quite like, but her response to receiving a lot of PR and receiving some very minor flack for it (in the context of being a conscious consumerism channel) was to tell people to create their own KZbin channel. I don't think the people criticizing her were jealous (though I'm sure some people can be) and so that seemed very tone-deaf. There's another KZbinr I watch who, again, I generally like, but she said something recently like, "I'm not going to lie to sell a product, but I'm so excited to work with [company] and that they wanted to work with me!" and she has reiterated in many videos that she has only been reached out to once or twice for a sponsorship before and it just leads me to wonder if excitement overtakes honest reviews (I think it generally does). It's also mildly annoying to me when certain companies have a release because there are some days when literally all I see on my subscription feed are reviews of that particular item (I'm thinking companies like Oden's Eye, Ensley Reign, Sigma, etc.). It definitely seems to stifle creativity. I also think hauls are conceptually very odd. As you say, people are generating excitement over things they haven't even tried yet. I don't really care that someone bought 15 products from the Sephora sale; if I'm interested in those products at all, it's going to be about how they perform. So haul videos provide literally no value to me. I really enjoyed your video :)

[@shawnaripari]

You shared so many wonderful and valuable thoughts! Your first point about paying to advertise to ourself is something I was trying to articulate but wasn't finding the words for. You said it and I immediately went YES, this! Thanks for sharing

[@exomake_mehorololo]

Great video idea! It's frustrating to see how easy it actually is to be vague about free stuff/sponsorship so that the viewer doesn't understand /see the creator didn't actually buy or pay for anything! I've noticed it a lot lately all on YT and I honestly find that behaviour extremely shady from the creators who are doing it. Clearly they very consciously and willingly mislead their viewers to ensure their minions are willing to blow money in an attempt to mirror their friendly beauty guru and be part of the gang! 🙄 It made me lose any goodwill towards relying or listening to their reviews and opinions. Especially when they suddenly start buying insanely expensive items even your comfortable upper middle class can hardly afford... All w affiliate links of course... It's also definitely increased in this current harsh economic climate which makes it worse.

[@thestraightupguide]

I had (very minor) internet fame in the 2000s when this wasn't really a thing I had to consider - and even the constant "fun gifts" of that one chocolate bar I mentioned liking, any time I went to an event, was too much. I felt like I had to at least eat one from the multipack in front of them (so much melted chocolate in 100f heat, ugh) and then thank them later in my next video. If I was a content creator now I'd be doing everything I could to avoid PR so I didn't have to pretend to like anything or have a bunch of stuff I don't need at my house! 😅

[@LorettaNance]

I have stopped following/unsubscribed from accounts because of the amount of PR/sales the influencer does.

[@exomake_mehorololo]

In regards to the non sponsored creator you mentioned...had been watching the channel religiously for 5 years. I do personally not rely /trust the reviews anymore as I learned a while back that you receive very surface level opinions of the very moment and on multiple occasions misleading/dishonest reviews. That includes products covered as "terrible quality, don't waste your money, hate it" in one video to "beautiful, great dupe, I recommend it" a few months later wo any word that the product was already shown /stating it was new to them. Plenty of the "absolutely love it" / "I use it all the time" products you will not only never see used again... You will see them looking brand new years later and being decluttered as "never liked this", "not good quality", "don't remember what that is again", "don't even remember I owned this", "only used it one time". That is not exclusive but rather common for beauty channels. But it was a hard lesson to learn for me.

[@cp8025]

This!!!👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽

[@jadelynnn]

I love love LOVE this video! It’s been on loop since I first saw it on my recommended 3 days ago. Your voice is so calming and it’s great how you articulate your thoughts. You’ve earned yourself a subscriber 🫶🏼

[@amandak.4246]

i think it makes total sense that the unboxing is itself the content instead of a review when the value of a product comes mainly from buying, receiving, displaying and posting the product, rather than using it. when the performance of the product is secondary to its aesthetic and the high of buying something, why would people care about a review?

[@kentishbellecrochetandcrafting]

So glad I found your channel. I’m struggling to kick my buying habits and your videos are really helping! Love all of them ❤

[@kat_thefruitbat]

There have been multiple times where I’ve seen creators post in their YT community tab saying that their regular upload schedule will be delayed by a couple days that week because they had to change something in the video to meet requests/requirements of a paying sponsor. I think it’s crazy that they apparently have to “get permission” to upload, and it makes me wonder how many sponsors are puppeteering the creators they work with. I’m sure this also happens with some brands who send PR. And I completely agree that PR can significantly limit a creator’s thought process. It can be so off-putting when a creator attempts to seamlessly incorporate a sponsor or PR into their video; any perceived authenticity is instantly removed from what they were just saying because I now see it only served as a lead into the advertisement / infomercial they’re now performing. When most people do this, it typically is just the leading point that’s catered to the ad, but I have also seen many others who clearly center their video idea around the sponsor or PR; the latter is always the worst of the two scenarios because it shows that they wanted to incorporate it “seamlessly” but obviously had a hard time doing so because the sponsor/PR clearly has nothing to do with their video topics or personal interests. Overall, I much prefer when creators just admit that they’re going to be doing an ad, do it, and then move on. One good example of this is Salem Tovar. She says something like “first I have to pay my bills, so let me take a minute to thank today’s video sponsor…”. I appreciate that because I can easily skip past it, and it doesn’t feel like they’re trying to trick me. I understand people need sponsors and PR ads, and being upfront and honest about it feels like the respectful way to go about it. P.S.- Love you and your videos! Also your sweater is super cute on you! ❤

[@shawnaripari]

Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts and I agree with a lot of what you're saying here . I do just want to weigh in on the brand approvals. Normally, once the video is completed along with the description box and thumbnail you'd send it to the brand. The approvals are usually looking for things like tags or links in the description, sponsorship length and position in the video, and what was said. I of course can't vet for every brand out there (not would I want to) but I don't think it's always nefarious. I think for the most part brands are looking to see a creator has done what they said they will do and if a video doesn't go out on time, it's quite often a brand taking their sweet time to respond. I've only had a few experiences myself where the brand contact reviewed the video in under 48 hours. There are also some companies that are in product categories where they can't make specific claims or want to distance themselves from claims, so reviewing for these kinds of words may also be part of it. I am a small channel that's only done a handful of sponsorships over the years, but I've never had a video pulled or requested alterations. There truly are some shady practices out there though

[@kat_thefruitbat]

@@shawnaripari Thanks for sharing your insights! The few creators I’ve seen post about this reason for a delayed upload have always seemed, from my perspective anyways, to put work into the ad portion of their content, so it was especially surprising to think that a brand might be critical to the point of demanding edits. But as you said, it could have been other reasons, like a very small detail that needed to be added, or the brand was taking awhile to get back to them.

[@themagicknightress7132]

I prefer watching people open fan mail than PR packages

[@dinygoesglam]

what I hear from other creators re PR is there is no obligation. I wonder if the strings you mentioned was because you were on the smaller side of creators and they wanted to enforce it because 'you" dont know better and see it as an opportunity? (still watching the video, still at min 3 lol)

[@Iquey]

I think the FTC needs to catch up with this issue. PR is like getting a baby sponsorship.

[@shawnaripari]

I agree

[@amandak.4246]

well they do require disclosure of gifts. it's just that people often don't disclose. girls specifically saying they're doing a pr haul at least directly says it was given to them for free

[@sophiegolden]

Amazing and creepy video 😮 but I understand better now why I m feeling so uncomfortable now since January, my no buy, watching some you tubers showing their PR, counting them in their empties, in their annual money challenge, or also making hauls constantly in a group where there are people like me struggling to get free from a addiction 😢...i m going to unsuscribe, because they re showing a bad exemple et a big trouble for people like me... I m keeping those without not those behaviors... Thanks a lot, you made my day 😊❤ xx from Paris France

[@vvitch-mist20]

What if PR was a set amount of credit from the company so instead of getting items shipped they can get whatever they want. This kind of PR would still produce lives, unboxings, reviews, and new customers, but it will reduce the amount of waste that goes into these things. If influencers want to do normal PR still they should be put on a list and those should come out when a brand new product launches, or on a holiday with advent calendars and sales. But even then strict rules should be put into place as well as a limit on how much PR an influencer can do in any given quarter, or year.

[@Tamietwist]

Also in some countries you need to pay income tax over the products you resieve in PR. They see it as a form of income. What I want to do is just show what I do get in my life and if I would ever do it I would probably want to reserve like local outings or being paid for a sponsorship. If you do it ALWAYS get paid.

[@shawnaripari]

I think this is probably true in the US based on what I know about tax laws. I do doubt there's actually happening though 👀

[@dinapawlow1622]

There are some people on KZbin that I follow and trust. I enjoy their content,I learn from their content…so when they recommend (sell) a product , I am on occasion pleased that I was introduced to this product. BUT I remind myself that this IS a curated commercial .

[@MusikGirl23]

This is honestly sickening to see…I admit I have had a large problem with overconsumption such as having too many clothes, which I am gradually paring down a bit through a local buy nothing group where they go directly to individuals, and craft supplies (not allowing myself to bring more in, as I have PLENTY etc until at least some are used up) etc. but this is just honestly stomach turning..,

[@SimplyKatieWalks]

Thank you for making me think yet again!

[@april4025]

The thing that gets me about these kinds of videos is that they’re just long advertisements. Like, the point of the video is to show you products that you can then buy- there’s literally no other point to the video than looking at stuff. At a certain point you have to wonder how much of tiktok, Instagram, etc are just advertisements (unboxings, restocks, whatever the hell those “scoop” videos are, etc) for random crap that nobody needs.

[@angeladesilva7913]

It really bugs me when Tati or Laura Lee do their “what beauty gurus get for free” videos sitting there with HUGE piles of boxes behind her. She’s not the only one who does this I was just saying.❤😊

[@chelseag3365]

All good thoughts, but also I just love your close up mic clarifications 😂

[@shawnaripari]

I have so much fun doing those!! And I just love that crispy sound

[@dianasmakeuppalace4205]

Back in 2014-2016, I kept maxing out a 10k card on makeup cuz PR seemed cool and then they started selling PR… ITS ALL A SUSTEM. 😅I just kept making good money. That could’ve been trips… savings…. Donations… don’t feel bad if all you have is 2 lipsticks. They go bad and cannot be used. They legit will make you sick if you use expired makeup. Don’t believe them when they say you can use expired makeup. It’ll hurt your sensitive beautiful skin. ❤

[@heartfacedgirlieee]

There are more influencers than ever before, more things to (be influenced to) buy than ever before, and so watching them (influencers) gawk and feign excitement over the content of 30-50 boxes of lipsticks, eyeshadows, crappy workout clothes, pots and pans, and lord knows what else, leaves a sour taste in my mouth. Firstly, where are these things going? Secondly, what happens when no one in your life needs them - do they get dumped in charity shops, women/men's shelters, or landfills? Large piles of boxes, stacked in a neat but fun pile waiting to be opened gives off 'welcome to my beauty room/studio tours' from the mid-2010s. It's tacky. It's also unnecessary. But it works (maybe not as much as it used to) which is why brands still participate in it.

[@exomake_mehorololo]

Indie make up largely and consistently relies on PR to small and micro channels. Has for years and it can be as fake and dishonest as the bad big YT gurus of old. And similarly niche luxury brands do target small luxury channels w PR. I truly watch dozens of different channels and it's everywhere 🤷

[@shawnaripari]

It is everywhere, and I think that's what creates a level of comfortability on the creator's part. As in, I'm just doing what's 'normal' so what's the problem?

[@island_girl]

"PR is out of control!" Yes we ARE, girl! Puerto Rico is the bomb! 🤘🏼🇵🇷🍹🌴🏖😎 😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@cs8712]

Man, these influencers sure are getting a lot of stuff on their trips to Puerto Rico

[@Zelda00Gamer]

I think something else about the micro creator is that their audience wants to boost them. If I really liked a small creator and they got a hello fresh sponsorship I might choose to try it with them versus the 5 million subbed persons ad because to the small creator because my purchase impacts them more. If I really like someone’s content and feel like I can support them I’d want to. I tend to not ever click into sponsorship content, but if I did I’d choose a smaller creator 🤷🏻‍♀️

[@darksunnygirl]

I really miss old school beauty tutorials where you would see the same products being used over and over and over again for months by the same creator (I'm looking at MAC Shroom and Wet n Wild Brulee 😉) because you could see what people actually used and could review. A first impression is not a review.

[@angelaa.9915]

This video really made me think about Tati’s channel-saying this in a neutral way! I’ve definitely watched her massive PR hauls as recently as last year because I like watching her and James interact (of course I don’t know what their actual, off-screen relationship is like, but honestly it entertains me in a low stakes, wholesome way). Obviously the massive PR hauls are a hugely wasteful practice, and clearly they “work” for her channel/brand. On the other hand, I do remember her using one of her friends’ makeup releases (cannot recall at all if it was from J*, JC, Manny, etc.), but she explicitly stated at the beginning of the video that they were her friend and she was biased and would not be objective about the products. I appreciated that.

[@shawnaripari]

I think that's how a release for a friend's palette should be if you decide to show it! Gotta give her some cookies for that

[@angeladesilva7913]

I love your sweater!

[@kreneesimo]

I have a toddler, so i listened to this in the background and im not sure if you touched on this, but, these "gifts" aka the PR packages fall into a major grey area for tax purposes. If the IRS decides to start auditing these influencers at some point, they may find themselves in a very deep hole. Any gift/pr package received that receives ~consideration~ for a review could be construed as income.

[@ramintapam8272]

I really enjoy your videos! I am so happy to have found your channel! :)

[@shawnaripari]

I'm so glad!

[@amalieskogsto]

You are the youtuber i needed in my life

[@randomunicorn8182]

Off topic but I love your cardigan 😊

[@TracyLeaBeauty]

Hi Shawna! I’m a newer subscriber & I’ve been loving your content!!!😃 When you said, Jessica Braun, I immediately thought of a person out of touch with their viewers. They BOUGHT A SECOND HOME to use as an office, meanwhile there are people struggling to feed their kids & family or may have just got an eviction notice & now, there have another problem & the dominoes all fall down. I was a single mom & worked hard so that DIDN’T happen to us. I love to watch her videos but, the constant sponsorships is SO old!!!! I love to watch Jen Phelps too. I definitely am so over PR unboxings! If you’re doing that, I’m passing you up for a smaller creator, like myself. I haven’t made in a video in a while though. I love to find someone just starting their channel, once they get more subscribers, the more they are, influenced🤷🏻‍♀️. I guess it’s all to be expected 🤷🏻‍♀️ If I was getting PR like these people, I would be the same though🤷🏻‍♀️

[@dmprimates9441]

Does PR stand for public relations or product review? I honestly don't know what PR actually stands for - I'm guessing. - I'm 41 so hahah, and out of touch.

[@heatherhaven1268]

Is this why people do those “do my makeup with me and…” videos? I never understood the link between makeup and true crime videos

[@katerinaschneider7904]

i love my alex drawers have them at my home office desk. definitely wouldnt use them for makeup. dont see why normal people would need so much skincare and makeup to store. i keep some hobbies in there (wool, photo book supplies), notebooks, small electronics, and finally office supplies 😀

[@ckee8437]

I always assume that anything being reviewed or shown was re eived for free, I use that same logic with online reviews for stuff because so many reviews include "received as a gift" etc. If you always assume there is a conflict of interest you can adjust your mindset when watching.

[@Tamietwist]

Your sweater is sooo cute 😊❤

[@laralikesmascara]

Seeing those clips of influencers doing PR hauls is insaaaaaaane to me. Those piles and piles of stuff.... how do they even have space to store 1% of those items!

[@laralikesmascara]

and ooooh conflict of interest statements!! That's so interesting, what an idea. Also thank you for all the shoutouts

[@shawnaripari]

I am overwhelmed just watching them!

[@shawnaripari]

I love your channel 💕

[@coolchameleon21]

i’m considering unsubscribing from one of my favorite creators because she’s constantly doing PR unboxings. plus she keeps promoting cheap crap in her tik tok shop. i love her content, but i hate how she promotes this stuff

[@athenapantazes]

I would only do pr for a brand I have bought myself with no incentive for a year or more

[@melstephen5191]

💗You are wearing the cuuutest cardigan 💗

[@Tamietwist]

You get exited when you get something new.

[@HelloJbGarces]

Imagine moving house with that much stuff *dead*

[@shawnaripari]

I absolutely could not imagine 💀

[@janedoe2078]

Influencers are so freaking gready and obsessed with having more and more things for free.

[@tinywalnut6337]

5 minutes in and I still have no bloody idea what PR stands for.

[@coffee8599]

I understand PR. I just find it distasteful.

[@monicagambino318]

This gives me anxiety

[@Oksurejan]

These videos are honestly disgusting to me... and no im not jealous😂

[@Bailey.garrettcornel]

The other thing is…. WHO ARE ALL OF THESE PEOPLE?!? I recognize some but others are just random people getting a bunch of free stuff 😭

[@setsunatodoroki]

Just sad that companies are choosing the #ghetto way,To advertising there brand. Unlike the old times🙄🍵. Ghetto like #NeneLeaks said the “The ghetto ! ” Always lots of love from #神戸　🇯🇵

[@ultraboombean]

It is like Christmas on crack wth lol

[@marinaes3767]

I like your videos, but sometimes it’s hard to stay on a subject because its a lot of talking and not much clips involved. Will be nice if you can mix it up a little.

[@melstephen5191]

💝💝💝💝💝💝

[@stephanied6711]

I don't like pr unboxing videos