The Influencer Hustle

This time I'm talking about how the marketing industry is hungrily flipping KZbinrs, Instagrammers, TikTokers, Snapchatters and so on into salespeople; how influencer marketing is full of deception, bots, and dodgy data; and how the influencer bubble is, in my opinion, set to inflate and deflate.

[@marcfischetti5490]

I never fall for the products 'influencers' push, that would be stupid. Now I have to go, I need to buy a lava-lamp.

[@RCAvhstape]

And some Hiptang.

[@chronometa]

Or sunglasses

[@themykeshow9027]

Beans. Buy beans.

[@TiffyVella1]

and a single potato in a bag

[@tomasotreasaigh111]

@@RCAvhstape Shhh, don't mention HIPTANG, you will only push up the price and then what will I spread on my junk if I can't afford HIPTANG anymore?? "Cmon man, cmon!"

[@DisposableSupervillainHenchman]

Influencers act similar to Meryl in “The Truman Show.” Trying to get us all excited about Mococoa. All natural cocoa beans from the upper slopes of Mount Nicaragua. No artificial sweeteners.

[@captainhaire]

Well done

[@mroctober3657]

That sounds enchanting. Where can I purchase this Mococao.

[@alexp.4270]

That movie was ahead of its time.

[@sprobablycancr4457]

@@alexp.4270 Zardoz was a head. (Of it's time)

[@MiskonceptioN]

Who are you talking to?

[@RedMeansRecording]

I've probably said this before but I'll say it again. You're a treasure.

[@ziko085]

It's such a random intersection of interestes that I follow you and Georg and you also happen to like Georg. But from the kind of person you present yourself as in your videos it doesn't surprise me

[@ultrademigod]

Did he pay you to say that?

[@AIBustos]

So are you my boi 🙌🔴

[@britneyspheres7yearsago11]

I'm rolling my eyes so hard from this comment

[@GeorgRockallSchmidt]

Cheers mate

[@zambo6453]

I've already developed flawless internal adblocks, similar to the old days where I would pick up on cues the ad break was coming and mindlessy reach for the remote and position my finger over the mute button . I swear I can see the microexpressions in an influencer's face that signal they are about to segue to an ad read and I sit my finger ofer the skip 5 seconds button.

[@swedishhousemfia]

nice

[@pjj.5649]

ABSOLUTELY!!! I HIT THAT FASTFORWARD BUTTON SO FAST, I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT THEY ARE SELLING.

[@NecromancyForKids]

Yes, the problem really comes down to fake sincerity. I don't care if a KZbinr got a sponsor so they can keep making content and have a livable wage. What I care about is them lying about it and pretending they actually enjoy the product when they don't, and that it isn't actually an ad.

[@qqfuwu1]

I completely agree, there’s been times I’ve been happy for a KZbinr for getting sponsored because it means they’d be making money and can afford to upload more videos but the inauthenticity of it all gets me bothered

[@87Julius]

If it was possible to clearly make that distinction there would be no issue. But it isn't. People aren't being fake, they're rarely outright lying. It's more about riding the wave, making a little profit - why not? No harm in it. None of the influencers see what they're doing from the point of view of responsibility, the point of view of right or wrong, truth or falseness. This what Georg is critically pushing us to do, but obviously this is an outside perspective ; money is beyond morals. I assume Georg isn't even living off KZbin, which probably allows him to be critical in the first place.

[@ChiefSmackahoLLC]

@@87JuliusI think there can be a lot of cultural harm inflicted when people strive for fakeness over genuine values.

[@koketsok1513]

@@87Julius From what I have seen its a bit different ,alot of the youtubers I follow try and section ads out eg wearing a different t-shirt,having something that sets the ad apart so when you scrub the time you can skip it,put them in the beginning or end were attention is higher or lower,but I think as an audience we are at the point were we have just mentally tuned out of sponsorships,for me seeing RAID SHADOW LEGENDS every other day has made me really not want to play it.Some creators are pretty much making it clear its just for the bag and try and make the ad fun fro both sides(lke internet historian).Sometimes its an internal community joke like with Count dankula and RAID SHADOW LEGENDS were no one take sit seriously and both parties know its just for the bag,but because it pops up so often not having it their is sad

[@87Julius]

​@@ChiefSmackahoLLC Cultural harm seems to me to be a rather vague notion at best. And, well, I'm not sure if culture has anything to do with truth. Science, sure - justice, yeah, these two are concerned with truth, but "culture", probably not. Culture sells genuine values. Authenticity is a bad idea. I don't disagree with the general sentiment, but my message was trying to hint at the notion that, in the end, individuals don't really own their intentions. They're not necessarily truthful or fake, they mostly just function in a certain way - a way that seems fake to those who function otherwise.

[@B1G_Dave]

I don't see what the problem is. I love watching Shillshare webinars, with my Raycon headphones on, in between bouts of Raid Shadow Legends.

[@koketsok1513]

but do you still make time to solve your hunt a killer box set?

[@stickyribs6494]

i mean, so long as you're using express vpn

[@reviathan3524]

Don't forget to rehydrate. I always have my Coldest bottle at my side

[@_holy__ghost]

shillshare holy fuck thats good

[@vivthefree]

Make sure you're sitting in one of those ergonomic chairs they all have. If not, I recommend Casper mattresses. Best sleep I've had in ages. And they come with 100 day no-questions-asked guarantee. What have you got to lose? Why not mull over it during your freshly prepared Hello Fresh meal tonight?

[@KeithBallardA]

It's been quite a ride. I've been using KZbin from the very beginning, when you were basically a sellout for making any money at all. I remember avoiding turning on ads on any of my videos until I had a few thousand subscribers because I thought that would actually scare people off and they wouldn't watch my videos, ten years ago. When I started my Patreon, I lost a lot of sleep over how much of a betrayal or entitlement it would be seen as that I ask for money to live if people want me doing this full time. To this day I've never done a sponsorship, and I'm not sure I ever will. Invariably, since they're the ones that approached me, it's a product I don't use. It's insincere. Boy I grew up with a different internet. I remember when the Squarespace, Naturebox and Casper ads became a mainstay on the Rooster Teeth podcast. Now basically every video I watch seems to plug some kind of product. A video about changes being made in a game? Metal wallet. A thoughtful video essay? Online training videos or whatever. I've grown thankful for the people that put some kind of special background or lower third on the screen so that I can at least quickly skip it video the mouseover preview. But then there's entire genres of content that I don't even watch, and they got really creepy while I wasn't paying attention. A lot of beauty and vlogging influencers don't seem to even really make content anymore. It's less like they make a video that contains an ad, and more like they just make ads that feature some of their personality. And people keep watching. Just unmitigated celebrity worship of people that are famous for being famous at this point. I really can't relate to what people want these days, which I guess makes me bad at my job.

[@ShootMeMovieReviews]

I have my monetization and patreon turned on, but I don't push for it, and I only monetize a few videos. I'd never shill a product or buy subs. The fact that kids who follow these 'influencers' don't even see what's repellent about this trend is what's really concerning. I asked my teenage niece what she wants to do as an adult, and she said, "Be famous." Like that's a goal. People no longer want to DO things, they want to BE things, and fame seems to be valued above love or money.

[@donnylurch4207]

@@ShootMeMovieReviews I'm sure it is that bleak and simple with some youth, but this brings to mind Eddy Burback's recent response to Bill Maher shitting on young people for wanting to be internet famous. Maher cites a random statistic from a survey that determined "72% of Gen Z polled said they want to be internet famous," but he misrepresented that by ignoring the written report on that survey which explained most of those young people just saw being famous online FOR THEIR SKILLS AND PASSIONS as an ideal end result of marketing themselves and being their own boss. It even specifically said most of that 72% didn't want to be famous just because. I'm not invalidating your anecdote, I just want to put it out there. I recommend Eddy's video if you want to determine for yourself, but don't feel bad about using adblock because HBO copyright claimed his video despite it being fair use. Guess Maher (or his bosses) can't take the heat.

[@ShootMeMovieReviews]

That sounds somewhat promising, although the idea of being a brand and marketing yourself still seems problematic imo. I shouldn't really target the youngest, I guess, as the phenomenon of people wanting to 'be' rather than 'do' has been ubiquitous for some time. I think what's alarming is that for young people it no longer seems like they perceive it as a problem at all, but simply as the way things are. The desire to position yourself socially has a priority way beyond what is healthy imo. Still, it may be a minority that suffer from this. It seems to me that young people today exhibit both the best and worst qualities, often in excess in both directions. Being a KZbin 'influencer' may appear to be a path to independence and parlaying your virtues into a position that is desirable, but ultimately these people end up as shills. I'm reminded of the second Black Mirror episode (season one), 15 Million Merits. Talent and good intentions can still lead a person to self-destruction, if they care about being cared about.

[@unduloid]

I remember how outraged people were when ads started to show up on videos, and how KZbinrs who asked for money where called "e-beggars." Ah, the good ol' days, before KZbin turned into a commercialized hellhole.

[@PaulThomas-qb9cx]

@O.P. I liked what you shared and I empathize. Trying to run and grow a small business is tough. Have faith that there is a market out there for everyone, even if niche, especially a sincere content creator!

[@krunkle5136]

The true heros are endorsements where the person gets away with openly taking the piss out of what they're selling and getting away with it somehow.

[@PaulThomas-qb9cx]

Ooooh, I like those! Good call!

[@Georg3e]

One day that'll be me

[@pkingpumpkin]

Like Internet Historian

[@acksawblack]

Sseth and cumtown

[@andrewhudson7108]

I don’t miss everything from the past but I do miss old commercials. In the 90s it was “Hey, here’s a tiny Johnny Cash telling you there’s a taco deal for under a buck.” Now it’s sad sappy piano music while some oil corporation tells you how much they care or some KZbinr staring directly into the camera and telling you how important Express VPN is.

[@benirw1n]

I guess, but I’m not sure there’s much room for lighthearted celebrity endorsements in ads for oil companies or internet security. I think companies like Subway and Sprite have been keeping up that spirit that you brought up, but they just haven’t acquired a certain age and aren’t worthy of that retrospective praise yet. The kids growing up now may reminisce about today’s cereal or fast food commercials later in life, just like I sometimes do about the “Respect The Pouch” or Gushers commercials that aired on Nickelodeon or Cartoon Network when I was a child. I’m just assuming you brought up the 90s commercials because you were alive for them.

[@VulpesHilarianus]

@@benirw1n I think there was a difference between then and now. There was a certain inward cynicism in how they advertised to you back before... I wanna say 2010 or so? Now that cynicism has turned outward in an effort to be "relatable," it has in fact created scrutiny from a generation that grew up in a very commercially artificial world. Think about how after the success of Flo from Progressive, everyone adopted that "Overly cheery female obvious corporate employee" idea, ranging from AT&T's sales desk girl to the RE/MAX lady. Then there's the rise of subversive and surrealist commercials that have nothing to do with the product and are only there to be an absurd eyecatch. All of this is obviously dishonest and basically says "We know you hate massive corporations, so we're gonna pretend like we're not one," to the people they're advertising to. It's a wildly different approach and result from previous decades where they said "Consume our product to fill the happiness void we've created in you life through social expectations of success."

[@alexricky87]

I miss the jingle ads from the '80s some of them were very catchy.

[@residentelect]

@@VulpesHilarianus I think the word "cynicism" perfectly encapsulates the 1990s. That's why I enjoyed being a miserable teenager and young man so much during said decade.

[@mr.pavone9719]

Fuck Erik, fuck nordVPN, fuck raycons, etc.

[@NoMoreCrumbs]

People as advertisements, company social media accounts pretending to be people. What a nightmare

[@Nev.14]

not sure if this is the same for anyone else but I feel like influencers are also developing their own "News voice", a lot of them seem to use a similar cadence

[@rust44]

The ones who speak with authority on TikTok are the worst

[@HiddenHandMedia]

None of these people have bass in their voice

[@Henilegasp]

I agree.

[@prabhdeepsingh5642]

Yes. That pisses me off so much. Same tone, same cadence, same awkward self-demaning jokes, same kind of edits.

[@BaDazai]

Very true! I even have some of my friends doing the same voice on social media when they record themselves lol! I'm like, "...girl, you're talking to me, your fiends and family - who are you switching up your cadence for? We know how you normally talk!" lol.

[@Indigo_Gaming]

A while back this was called "native advertising," and was used in talk shows and such to blur the line between the content people consumed and the ads people wished to avoid. I think the problem comes in with a lot of these "influencer" types is that they pretend they aren't doing a commercial, and they ride the lines that the FTC and other regulators have drawn to prevent consumers from being deceived. I've seen sponsored videos where they bury the fact that they were paid to use a product, deep into their video description, where barely anyone sees. It's deceptive, but it doesn't HAVE to be.

[@inthefade]

The FTC clearly states that disclaimers have to be upfront and obvious.

[@im_lennie]

I don't think I've ever tried a product just because My Favorite Internet Person was paid to tell me I should

[@artemisamory]

It's so easy to just hit the right arrow as soon as they start talking about their sponsor lol. I don't care if they wanna do it, I don't care how funny they make it, I'ma skip it though.

[@MuttFitness]

GradeAunderA makes some funny ads, but everyone else is pretty bad

[@hombreg1]

Same here. I'm tired of people trying to sell me things I don't need

[@SteveAyanami]

Every time without fail.

[@carlwinslo]

I generally do too. Internet Historian makes some funny ones where he legit makes fun of the product he is selling and Internet Comment Eittiquette makes some funny ones but yea i skip most of them. I dont need to be told more than once about Raycon earbuds or Nord Vpn

[@spiffcorgi]

Internet Comment Etiquette is the only guy whose ads I actually watch properly. Don't generally mind people throwing on a "this is what is paying for this video" thing though given how much creators have been fucked by KZbin. It's not the same thing as influencing.

[@worldofgreenhell]

I was fascinated by the ads in the late '80s early '90s as a kid in Hungary, because the ads were just fun to watch and most of those were creative. 30+ years later I use adblockers and refuse to watch TV in general because I feel it is brainwashing to expose myself to such things.

[@soviut303]

I'll take a TV ad over an embedded ad or sponsored content. At least the TV ad isn't hiding what it is.

[@jefftheriault5522]

See if you can get a copy of an old sci-fi story " The Space Merchants" by C.M. Kornbluth.

[@subtleusername5475]

or... instead of crying about how theyre trying to brainwash you, you could just choose to not buy the things advertised to you lmao

[@moethemoon]

Lmao are you hearing yourself right now? You are brainwashed by the ads of your childhood behind a veil of nostalgia. Mad.

[@mauve9266]

@@accountantthe3394 I was just thinking that. Whenever I see certain ads I always envision Don saying something oddly profound then I see other ones and I think surely the same amount effort shown in the show wasn’t used to come up with this ad. But Idk how close it is to current reality.

[@ellabiddy4741]

Whenever youtubers go into their ad spiel I start tapping that fast toward until it’s over. Most KZbin personalities I watch wear an entirely different outfit and make the screen completely different when they do the ad read and it almost feels like they’re making it easier for me to skip and identify when the ad is over.

[@ellabiddy4741]

That being said it doesn’t bother me when they do sponsorships and ad reads because I understand for a lot of the people I watch (Cody Ko, Noel Miller, Danny Gonzolaz, Kurtis Conner) their commentary videos can get demonetized since their content is often using clips of others videos and their humor is between PG-13 and R rated sometimes, so they have to do the ads and sponsorships to make enough money off their videos for it to be their only job. I know for at least Co Ko his cost of living in Venice California is probably why he’s not crazy rich rn.

[@TOPDOPPLER]

This channel is criminally underrated. Bless you Georg.

[@agent_meister477]

Here Here

[@worldofgreenhell]

@@agent_meister477 well said :)

[@JLydecka]

99.5% likes... yeah totally underrated

[@TOPDOPPLER]

@@JLydecka How about criminally under subscribed or viewed considering Georg has been at this for a few years you pedantic gourd.

[@richardponsford5147]

2nd that.

[@hangonsnoop]

My favorite commentary on the influencer phenomenon is a t-shirt with a picture of Charles Manson with a caption of "Influencer".

[@spa-peggymeatballs4861]

Oh god I need this.

[@burningmisery]

That's a bitchin' shirt. Ol' Charlie was the original influencer 🤘😎🤘

[@TheRealNormanBates]

Don’t forget Che Guevara! Or Typhoid Mary. She was a _really_ big influencer.

[@pissiole5654]

Hitler would work nicely for this

[@MrDLOC11]

Charlie was a witch.

[@stunitech]

I find these little rants/verbal essays from Georg highly entertaining and often quite thought provoking. His liberal sprinkling of dry wit and sarcasm always makes me laugh and I find myself nodding, like and old Tibetan monk to his serious points. A highly under rated and undersubed channel from a very shrewd and interesting Georg. He's even managed to put me off painted toenails - for life. I urge any who haven't seen it to watch his vid where he details the story about his love of railway station toilets and the painted toenail lady.

[@stranglewankhitman4936]

The advertisers giving the influencers creative control over the ads' actual content is brilliant, though. You get things like Alizee absolutely ripping the piss out of RAID: Shadow Legends and still getting paid for it.

[@atomicsheart]

I think so too, plus it’s far more insidious when the ads are creatively synthesized into the content, a company prob could not legally ask for such a thing. Whereas these content creators come up with new ways constantly and seem to avoid legalities for the most part. Especially lifestyle creators, who share their daily routines and habits. It’s soooo manipulative, they’ll just do a grocery haul, as if they bought the products themselves. Only in the video description, should you go look, is ‘this video is sponsored’, but what parts?

[@pontiusporcius8430]

Internet historian probably has the best ads.

[@McSnezzly]

I like the way ASMR artists use their sponsored ads, especially since the good ones turn off the youtube inserted ads that play in the middle of the video and try to remove them at the end (though youtube doesn't seem to care sometimes). They tend to pick ones that make sense and use them to make good content, like if they tend to cook and use food for asmr anyway then it's not jarring for them to do a video for those cooking subscription boxes. I only watch the good ones anyway, I don't know what the unsavory and unwholesome ASMR artists are up to.

[@moethemoon]

I live for Alizees Raid sponsors. They drip with so much sarcasm it’s unbelievable how she managed to get sponsored so many times

[@JB-bq2qj]

"Just wanna give a big shout out to today's sponsor, Hip Tang!"

[@LividImp]

I wouldn't mind ads if they weren't constantly shoved in your face every 6 seconds. But now it is like a Black Mirror episode with ads being projected onto the inside of your eyelids. Now you just can't get away from it no matter what you do. _This comment sponsored by Netflix and Black Mirror._

[@Zeithri]

This comment by Livid Imp was brought to you by _RAID SHADOWLEGENDS_

[@LividImp]

@@Zeithri Nah, I'd never sink that low. _This rebuttal sponsored by Phillip Morris brand baby pacifiers._

[@tjroelsma]

Agreed, it's another self-inflicted wound by advertisers: grossly overdo advertising and then blame internet users for getting sick of it and installing ad-blockers.

[@LividImp]

@pordini That is where you are wrong sir! Now excuse me while I Visine my open eyeballs. _This comment sponsored by Visine._

[@laur-unstagenameactuallyca1587]

nah not yet. wait till VR and AR takes off, then worry

[@matthayward7889]

17:34 Mr Sunday movies are alright, I mean, they’re sponsored but I feel they’re always pretty open about it, and it doesn’t intrude on the content. Brilliant video as always, Georg!

[@maxjones503]

Isn't Big Sandwich their own platform?

[@cyberneticshadow5572]

Love that you tossed angry Joe clips in, that guy would promote roofie filled gummy bears for a check at this point.

[@deadliestvice5356]

Nintendo took 5 dollars from him. 5 DOLLARS!!!

[@susanm436]

Where do I get those gummies. Asking for a friend.

[@TaramiBedona]

I'd like to know, too. Asking for Susan's friend.

[@jthom0027]

@@susanm436 They probably still have a bunch in the suite where the Activision Blizzard employees partied. I think it was called the Cosby suite.

[@TaramiBedona]

@@jthom0027 Oh snap!

[@timespace.productions7513]

KZbin creators now incorporate their sponsorships into their video-essays, as if it's part of their thesis. The most creative ones will have me thinking, for a good twenty seconds mind you, that it's a component of their content, until of course I realize they're trying to sell me a Curiosity Stream membership or a website from Squarespace.

[@DR3ADER1]

That's why I almost always skip them and keep those adblockers ON.

[@extremekiwi101]

It's interesting because I can always tell when the ad's gonna show up. Always such an obvious cutaway

[@djeieakekseki2058]

I mean there needs to be an incentive to create content, we are not entitled to anything and KZbin has been great so far.

[@djeieakekseki2058]

Of course lying and losing credibility is wrong.

[@user-ju6zx3rm8d]

@@djeieakekseki2058 KZbin censors a lot of stuff. Its glory days are over.

[@Jesse__H]

Make Georg angry. You'd like him when he's angry.

[@Menjoood]

The incredible sulk.

[@journeyman4814]

sure thing Jesse H

[@Jesse__H]

@@journeyman4814 🤨

[@journeyman4814]

@@Jesse__H 🤔

[@Jesse__H]

🫂

[@Sarato]

I love how this slowly transferred from talking about movies to talking about corporate greed, scams and late stage capitalism.

[@nikinikolov6570]

Internet historian does it just right. He takes the piss and is hilarious. Ultimately I do not mind ads if that means the person I support continues making content.

[@johnnunns1136]

The only other channel that I can think of that does it almost as well is "Map Men".

[@xink64]

I was about to comment the same thing :-) They are some of the best segments in his videos! I never skipped any!

[@laur-unstagenameactuallyca1587]

the weird thing is that other channels have started to emulate his ad reading style and it takes the magic away from it. like, pyrocynical is one copycat. there are a few others.

[@pissiole5654]

@@johnnunns1136 map men are literally the only ads I don't immediately skip

[@PhiliaSofia]

And Internet Comment Etiquette!

[@Mr_Fancypants]

Whenever a game/product is promoted i avoid it at all costs to not only not buy trash but i discovered i don't need any of it.

[@andrewsmithphoto]

When you look around it is astonishing how many things in modern society you don't need or even want.

[@PenisGabber]

It’s often dross

[@residentelect]

@@andrewsmithphoto "... I see all this potential and I see squandering! God damn it, an entire generation pumping gas, waiting tables, slaves with white collars. Advertising has us chasing cars, and clothes, working jobs we hate so we can buy shit we don't need..." N.B. unfortunately I can't remember the whole quote, and am far too lazy to use the Googletubebook track it down then copy and paste it (which is kind of cheating anyway) but I think those particular few lines sum up many people's feelings when they are confronted by a dead-eyed, fake smile wearing, "effluencer" trying to sell us something useless?

[@weazels]

@@andrewsmithphoto “the things you own end up owning you”

[@zambo6453]

*sees ad for burger place* ah fuck I was going to get a burger on my lunch break guess I'm getting chicken now

[@fondue542]

Amber Scholl is the perfect embodiment of this phenomenon. She started out as a DIY channel but started pushing some really shady product deals and was accused of buying followers. She would make content centered around her ads but not disclose this until the middle of the video. After awhile I unsubscribed because she was obviously more worried about her advertisers than creating content. (Also I hate when influencers tell a sob story while trying to sell a product!) I can name a few other people who have done this but she came to mind.

[@SansAppellation]

No such thing as bad marketing I guess. Now to KZbin search Amber Scholl...

[@fondue542]

@@SansAppellation Very true! And I'm not sure if you would notice her decline into paid advertisement, I used to watch every video so it became obvious. If you want, Maggie Mae FIsh did an amazing video on Jaclyn Hill scams. If you see one you see them all and Jaclyn Hill is the blue print of para-social relationships.

[@keithmccormack6248]

@@fondue542 I just checked out Maggie Mae Fish, she comes off as a disingenuous Georg Rockall-Schmidt; mindlessly promoting establishment BS-as if we don’t get enough of that in daily life. At least GRS is thought provoking.

[@husniya12345]

@@fondue542 Oh teenage memory unlocked! I remember her DIY videos but stopped watching as soon as she caught clout because it all started seeming disingenuous.

[@something6510]

Honestly her shopping videos bored me, so I stopped watching. But had no idea she was doing all that...

[@CthulhusDream]

14:25 FYI they weren't hermit crabs, they were Christmas Island crabs during their migration.

[@kingsley3208]

Real nice place

[@thisdudecomesinandhesays4186]

Tell an influencer that he can pay his bills without selling his soul and watch as he recoils.

[@pontiusporcius8430]

KZbin and most social doesn't have reliable ad revenue policies, so professional content creators don't have as many options. If they don't have the traffic or favor from wojnicki, they don't get ad revenue, and if they don't have the patrons to privately support them, they might not have the option.

[@FactThis]

@@pontiusporcius8430 If you're struggling to make a living on KZbin without selling your soul by pushing borderline scams for cash, it might be time to get a real job.

[@enriquekahn9405]

How George got through this entire video without mentioning Hiptang! is one of the great mysteries of the internet

[@callumg3330]

I saw an influencer gift another influencer a 55 gallon barrel of oil the other day, beyond parody

[@PoptartParasol]

A gallon of oil... like petrol or do you mean cooking oil? Why am I even asking, both are beyond comprehension

[@ozorna9401]

@@PoptartParasol snake oil

[@xtremegaming1232]

I mean last time I remember hearing about oil prices here in the US, it tanked hard so I wouldn’t doubt some Tik Tok weirdo could’ve gotten their hands on some

[@HilleCine]

Sauce?

[@callumg3330]

@@PoptartParasol crude oil, checked again and it was actually 55 gallons, it was a barrel, and they joked about throwing it in the ocean for fun

[@BrockLee3]

GEORG: "There are no apps that can skip the ads..." ME: "My Right-Arrow key would disagree. Just click the Right-Arrow key a few times...and...SKIP!"

[@guy-sl3kr]

Sometimes I even press the L key if I'm feeling spicy

[@BB-tv3om]

This is one of the reasons why i respect your channel and red letter media so much :)

[@ericolesky1569]

I saw a cop arrest an “influencer” for blocking traffic for a video. I told the cop I appreciate everything he does. And hope he keeps up the good work. These people are walking talking advertisements and just like commercials I completely ignore them.

[@rust44]

Imagine hating influencers so much you’re a cop lover.

[@davidjames579]

Did the Cop reward your endorsement?

[@mikeoxlong1395]

Arrest somebody over a traffic violation?

[@mikeoxlong1395]

@@rust44 Can i get the list of the untermeschen that i should hate, or, in the very least, a list of people i shouldn't love/respect? Thank you in advance.

[@1767hfdh]

Georg has the best feeling of authenticity

[@captainhaire]

He makes me believe I need a VPN

[@residentelect]

@@captainhaire I suddenly feel the urge to play both World of Tanks and Raid: Shadow Legends at the exact same time?!

[@jamstonjulian6947]

His authenticity feels very authentic

[@djeieakekseki2058]

Jamston Julian his authentic authenticity feels very authentic

[@h____hchump8941]

You do realise all these videos supposedly for our entertainment are just designed to shill his KZbin channel?

[@CraftAero]

An "influencer" is generally the opposite of a "mentor". Their job is to influence you, not to enable you.

[@QuasarRedshift]

"the most important thing in show biz is sincerity - if you can fake that, then you've got it made" - George Burns (I think)

[@robertvralph]

I subbed for your film stuff, but I gotta say, I'm loving these videos.

[@Dat_Guys_Wise]

I can’t remember the days of him talking about film was like. Were we happy then?

[@charlessaints]

i second your opinion, sir 👍

[@andrewdamore2571]

I feel like he's still trying to find his real theme with his channel, but every bit of it has been enjoyable.

[@VerGiLL1]

@@Dat_Guys_Wise How dare you not remeber the origins of the Lava lamp. You are not worthy...

[@whizwart1]

"I'd like to thank my friends at Hiptang for all the Hiptang"

[@HappyCynic]

It helps his glaucoma.

[@MosoKaiser]

Taste the mercy.

[@tomservo5007]

Cinemassacre is the only YT channel I don't find myself fast-forwarding when they start talking about their sponsor. They do little skits about the product, that for the most part are entertaining. I haven't come across another channel that puts in that much effort

[@schattentaenzerin]

I kinda like how Ryan George does his. He always says at the beginning that and by whom the sketch is sponsored and that there will be more about them after it. The sponsorship is mostly in a fun skit kinda way, too. He made up an extra character (the Adstronaut, floating in ad-space) for them. But, since it's the end of the video, you can choose stop watching after the sketch. Haven't watched cinemassacre in a while. Might check out how it evolved.

[@isaacstoker3832]

So glad I stumbled across your channel. I've been watching and rewatching your back catalogue for about a year now. You're an absolute treasure. Keep it up!

[@tokenfinnishguy8714]

I feel like a member of high society watching videos from Georg, despite being a student living in a veritable chicken coop, eating tuna straight out of the tin. Just tells how good the aesthetic is.

[@lesserspottedmugwump.363]

Tuna is high class, pot noodles or beans for us lowly peasants.

[@residentelect]

The post directly above yours reads; _"This_ _channel_ _is_ _criminally_ _underrated._ _Bless_ _you_ _Georg."_ I wholeheartedly agree GRS deserves more recognition for his contribution to keeping boredom at bay, nevertheless I feel exactly the same as yourself. His channel is a retreat (a _safe_ _space_ as those pesky kids say) were people of a certain age and/or mindset can retire in order to enjoy the perfect balance of nostalgia, critique, cynicism, dry humour and Hiptang. I've also found that I meet the most interesting of people, and have the best discussions in the comment threads of this channel. No memes (what ever they are?!) no "whoelse is here from..." and very little, if absolutely no petty squabbling, name calling and threats to track down a person whom potentially lives thousands of miles away, with no idea what they look like, in order to give them a damn good thrashing... You enjoy that tuna my friend. Enjoy it knowing you are in very good company indeed.

[@TiffyVella1]

I've put my canned tuna into a saucepan with canned corn tonight. #feelinfancy

[@robertborland5083]

That tuna would go well with some HIPTANG!

[@VargVikernes1488]

I really enjoy Georg, but the gaggle of stinky commies and mentally ill people, that have been plaguing the comments lately, sure does sour the experience.

[@Cato229]

The only thing I was missing in this episode was some HipTang.

[@guyjperson]

Oh dude! I was wondering why everything felt off! Hip Tang!

[@philn.4692]

I suspect youtube pushed a lot of the creators I watch to seek sponsors by demonetizing so many of their videos. I appreciate sponsors who don't care if their ads get shown on 'controversial' content.

[@painbow6528]

I love how Map Men just do an funny advert at the end of their videos. Far more effective.

[@lesserspottedmugwump.363]

That guys really huge nose bridge freaks me out.

[@erraticonteuse]

And the fact that sometimes they literally just say as part of it "the more of you sign up, the more money they give us, so we can make more Map Men."

[@Drudenfusz]

I don't think anyone is truly thinking that this is about authenticity, it is more about selling a lifestyle, the brand. Thus it is more about perception and how people are perceived, thus it is not surprising in the age of social media basically just about curating profiles.

[@xxnoxx-xp5bl]

My friend, anyone who uses the word "thus" twice in a statement should be roundly ignored. Like the average blogger and in time "influencers".

[@Drudenfusz]

@@xxnoxx-xp5bl You are right, that was very poorly done by me. But some times it might be worth a look for the content someone posts even when their form sucks like mine.

[@xxnoxx-xp5bl]

@@Drudenfusz I was only joking pal. I work in marketing and I hate "influencers". I see them as no better than "black hat" SEO, or pop-up ads. We live in am age where any service you might want is available via a quick internet search. These days the best tool is to provide a genuinely worthwhile product and do it well.

[@jurassicjaws]

I have young nieces and nephews who think that plenty of influencers are being "authentic", and want mom and dad to fork over their credit cards so they can get their hands on the items that the authentic influencers totally love more than the money. Don't forget, we live in a time where very young children have smart phones, unlimited internet access, and plenty are able to swipe their parent's wallet and buy things without them noticing. There's videos on that, and it's incredibly worrying for many reasons.

[@milenadocic]

@@jurassicjaws Not only that, but desired occupation of many today's teenagers is influencer, because the kids think that they genuinely live this luxury lifestyle they are trying to sell. Well, lots of adults seem to think the same, which is why many are trying really hard to be full-time "content creators". But if everyone in the world is in MLM and creating content..........oh well 😄

[@gvasari]

Although you're absolutely right about how authenticity evaporates when it's used to sell products, and how a lot of the influencer market is fake, I think this scheme will continue longer than it should because it enables brands to advertise to children/minors. Many countries have strict rules governing ads aimed at children, and for good reason! Kids are very impressionable. The sponsored content that alienates adult audiences is not so noticeable or annoying to children. And a lot of companies are extremely interested in fostering brand loyalty in children, but may be barred or at least restricted in the methods and extent they can market themselves to those children. Influencer marketing, as it currently stands, is a pretty handy way around that.

[@mattjindrak]

It makes me so happy to skip through an ad break during someone's video

[@BlackburnBigdragon]

Remember when you could watch KZbin videos without the content creator going into a three minute commercial, on top of all the commercials that KZbin sticks in there? As soon as I sense one of these product shilling moments coming on, I just click forward on the video till it's done. I never watch them. They're very intrusive. More intrusive than the regular adds.

[@koketsok1513]

watched "10 minute" video, 4 minutes of actual content (3;25 actually) the rest was unironic back to back ads like tf????

[@laur-unstagenameactuallyca1587]

@@koketsok1513 LMAOOOOO

[@susangray4907]

It was wonderful back in the day.

[@Magicalnora]

Ugh, and the repetition! If you have regular KZbinrs you watch/binge

[@BeautifulEarthJa]

The best ones for me are the onea that make it clear 'I'm saying this for money' lol. But transparent youtubers are the ones I gravitate towards, and for the rest, I skip the ad spots.

[@user-yk9sk7pg6v]

This channel is gold. Thank you, Sir.

[@NASkeywest]

That Defranco guy….I don’t understand why millions of peoples subscribe to him. He just picks like 5 Internet stories, copies/writes a 2 minute synopsis on what’s already been reported, and talks about them and does lots of hand gestures and raises his voice like what he is saying is exciting.

[@ottoweininger8156]

You're right, and I don't watch him either, but he's become the go to guy for news/pop culture/ drama on KZbin. His audience trust him

[@BarronVonSchnoot]

One of my favorite KZbin channels has recently picked up a sponsorship from Dr. Pepper. I thought it was cool because it wasn’t squarespace, skillshare, or raid.

[@Louis-wp3fq]

That is incredibly sad. That you thought it was cool for that reason, and that I totally understand what you meant.

[@tofuneverbleeds]

Peddling something hazardous to people’s health is the epitome of greed.

[@BarronVonSchnoot]

@@tofuneverbleeds oh god, we’ve got one of those fat shaming idiots in here. Be gone, troll.

[@coppermoth6069]

@@BarronVonSchnoot soda companies steal water

[@J-BiRTH]

@@BarronVonSchnoot ???? So are you saying that Dr.Pepper is good for you? what a weird response to that guys comment.

[@kapitankapital6580]

You've got some nerve criticising influencers after taking all that money from Hiptang

[@ravenlord4]

I think that Hiptang dropped him and that's why he is lashing out.

[@HappyCynic]

It helps with his rheumatism.

[@sighborg_]

Glad someone is calling him out for this obvious hypocrisy !

[@qty1315]

@@ravenlord4 Of course they dropped him. Hiptang doesn't need a sponsor because Hiptang sells itself.

[@weavehole]

Long long ago I had the ability to start channel hopping and come back to my prog within a second of the adverts finishing. Very pleased with myself I was.

[@mikemackey874]

Always glad to see a new video. Keep it up bro. One of my favorite channels.

[@brucebladarac]

Anyone got a discount code for some integrity?

[@devinholm6496]

I'm so glad I found this channel. Always great thought provoking content

[@ShootMeMovieReviews]

You're very optimistic. Look at TV commercials for precedent. As they became more rigid, obvious and ubiquitous, people did not reject them. They even accepted them at the opening of movies in theatres they already paid to watch. People don't object to being advertised to. Also, the system that used to exist in television was even more of a crapshoot for advertisers, basing their guesses about where to spend advertising dollars on Neilsen ratings and what people tuned in for during 'sweeps week', when each network brought in ringers in the form of specials and made-for-tv movies. It's all about best-guesses, and I don't see any more obvious place for advertisers to spend their money in future than on 'influencers'. They'll accept being explicit if they have to, but they won't go away.

[@KokoRicky]

This channel just gets more and more interesting. Love the presentation.

[@zalseon4746]

what's funny is that online videos have this thing called "the ability to pick what part of the video to watch" and i don't think ad agencies wanna admit exists. Seriously even when the ad was funny (Chris ray gun does some pretty hilarious ones) i still don't buy the product. Because i didn't ask for anything like it. I don't care. The fact that marketing agencies cannot grasp the fact that modern audiences want ads for things they're actually looking for and instead bomb us with shit we have no interest in is probably why the corporate model is likely gonna collapse in the near future and i think influencers are the last dying gasp of that shit.

[@indieWellie]

it's like the absurdity of bald presenters doing sponsorships for anti hairloss/balding products.

[@KoewlBag]

God I hope you're right

[@euansmith3699]

I giggle when I get targeted ads for the product I have just purchased.

[@euansmith3699]

@@indieWellie That'll be the Hiptang!

[@djeieakekseki2058]

This is exactly why they are stealing data

[@jliller]

I don't really understand the whole concept of "influencers." Are their real followers the kind of people who read fashion magazines and think unboxing videos are exciting?

[@SuperDoNotWant]

Sometimes it's just about getting the brand name in front of people so that next time they need PRODUCT they will think of you instead of their usual brand. Sometimes it's just about "coolness". Coca-Cola doesn't need name recognition, it needs to be seen as hip (ouch, I sprained myself using that word).

[@theinternetexplorer7873]

At most these influencer grab a minute of time off someone who's browsing through their home screen on these apps. I doubt anyone in the world actually get excited when someone gets a new phone in a box...right?

[@lesserspottedmugwump.363]

@@theinternetexplorer7873 ASMR for some people, I like watching Ashens open plastic tat from Poundland.

[@TheCivildecay]

In some way George is also a influencer

[@jliller]

@@TheCivildecay GRS is not an influencer. "Influencer" doesn't simply mean "someone whose opinion can influence the opinion of others" because then it would render the term meaningless. George even points out in the video there's a difference (I would say a big difference) between being an influencer vs. having sponsors. To put it in TV terms: it's the difference between watching a documentary that has commercials (an informative YT channel) vs watching an infomercial (influencer).

[@nathat4250]

Thanks for being the king of authenticity 🙏

[@HEDGE1011]

Influencers are a narcissistic plague; they are one of the biggest reasons I have no social media (unless you count KZbin). I cannot tell you how much I appreciate your commentaries; this one was particularly insightful. Hiptang!

[@yushamush9849]

You have techincally influenced me to consider buying another lava lamp but not to the point were my doing so would be considered likely

[@flywheelshyster6549]

That'll be the Hiptang!

[@prinzchen17]

Thank you for this nuanced statement and - especially - keeping your authenticity by not participating in the shilling grift, which is sadly so common. aaand absolutely great choice of well placed music!😁

[@nightboiii]

love seeing your videos, georg. even if they are far and few between i appreciate you and your content very much. thank you for blessing us with a new vid

[@TeddyDemonEnjoyer]

"There are no apps that can skip the ads if they're embedded into the script" 🧐🧐🧐 Are you sure about that

[@battmarn]

SponsorBlock: allow me to introduce myself

[@DingbatToast]

if the person you're watching just starts talking about a product mid video and then carries on with the original topic, there aren't any apps that can spot that

[@croisaor2308]

@@DingbatToast There is one for KZbin. People manually input the timestamps for the beginning and end of the ad read, and everyone who has the extension skips that time in the video.

[@patrickbateman7904]

@@croisaor2308 Which relies on someone doing it for every sponsored video out of their free time (which is not practical for obvious reasons). I bet you don't even do that yourself for every video even though you are advocating for it. KZbin usually attaches a "paid advertisement" label on the screen to warn the viewer. So get ready to skip. So, no, there is no app to avoid scripted advertisement unless AI decides to suddenly evolve that far. We only have ad-blockers to avoid standalone ads currently.

[@patrickbateman7904]

He means as part of the scripted dialogue in the video, not literally the technical scripted code of KZbin. I don't know why people are getting confused about this.

[@kitfagan2027]

The early stages of this unravelling I feel is already happening. Sponsorblock is an extension that uses community timestamp submissions to skip sponsorship sections of KZbin videos. It even shows on the time line which bits of the video are sponsorships or self-promotion etc...

[@nicolobartolotta]

Internet historian is the only guy who makes actually entertaining commercials

[@maxwellschneiter]

It reminds me a lot of the way radio programs advertise products, I think it can be very successful if the audience buys it as a way to support the program itself.

[@thatguywesmaranan]

i'm an influencer... i influence my friends to go out for drinks...

[@MuttFitness]

The bar owners best friend, and he doesn't even know you

[@rust44]

Grass roots influencer

[@thatguywesmaranan]

@@MuttFitness i am actually friends with most bar/pub owners in my area and this is my way of supporting local businesses... 😂😂😂

[@MuttFitness]

@@thatguywesmaranan i was just joking

[@krisamagus1]

also you are not more than 20.

[@dmac7128]

One side effect of influencers being co-opted by marketers is that they lose their credibility especially if it not disclosed. Even for those that do, that has to plant doubt into the integrity of their "non advertising" content especially if their content is in the same category of products they advertise.

[@missmoth2588]

I hope the so-called 'influencers' bubble implodes on itself! I am sick of the fakeness!

[@nickritchie2154]

Opening 5 seconds made it for me. You're great, keep it up.

[@pawned79]

If someone made an app that recorded the time accrued during ads and displayed them for you in a list, so you could see which brands wasted your time the most, I would buy it.

[@subtleusername5475]

that just sounds like another way for you to waste your time.

[@ndSpaz]

It makes me less mad when they do it creatively, like Jay Foreman does. Seriously, the ads are almost as entertaining as the videos themselves.

[@mynamegeoffproductions4442]

Hands down best KZbin channel

[@stu1701E]

Internet Historian is the only content creator (ugh) whose sponsored segments are worth watching. In fact I'd go so far as to say they are a must watch, and his videos would be incomplete without them.

[@shane5022]

Great video. It's an interesting phenomenon. I kind of don't mind when youtubers I follow have ads; I like these people and I want them to be compensated for their work. I can always fast forward and usually do. The advertising industry isn't going away and, as someone who grew up with unbearable TV ads, if this is the worst they can currently do then have at it. In terms of unavoidable time spent absorbing ads things are definitely on the up. I lose 5 minutes a day max but with TV it must have been closer to an hour. I realise it's more insidious now though and probably worse for young people on Instagram. Any thoughts?

[@BaronVonLethal]

Yeah I don't get the hate for obvious adds at the start of a video. Like VPNs are useful, I'm sure plenty of people are finding them through KZbinrs. As long as they're not advertising some predatory lending firm or a gambling site who cares? Also why the drive by on Mr Sunday Movies? In the clip they're advertising their own website...

[@djeieakekseki2058]

I agree, people just need to be thankful, old ads were TERRIBLE.

[@alexjaybrady]

My life is so much simpler and less stressful since i started unquestioningly carrying out the lava-lamp's commands.

[@andrewfleming611]

I love these new extended ads for Hiptang!

[@cugan83]

I'm really enjoying the topics you have been covering covering recently.

[@Monkey-fv2km]

Advertising changes with the media and surrounding world, but it's all just the same as it always has been, and always will be.

[@nrgspike]

Who would believe a word this man says? We all know he's bought and paid for by Hip-Tang... and who could blame him. So Hip, So Tang. I don't mind KZbinrs doing brand deals to get paid, I just scrub ahead in the video. It's the price of free entertainment.

[@brianyule1289]

So Hip, So Tang is my favourite of the Hip & The Tangiest movies.

[@DR3ADER1]

I do mind, because adverts are made by pond scum of the highest order. They assume that you are there to buy the shit they sell and to be bought out by them conversely, for a pittance. Such losers don't deserve firing squads or the guillotine. Rather, eternal work in a Bangladeshi Chemical Plant.

[@joelmonteiro1419]

This is precious, coming from the guy who got me hooked on Hip Tang.

[@danielmartinez1932]

Great Vid, this could be a series where Part 2 could be about more nicher influencers. Alot of influencer marketing discussions seem too focused on beauty, fashion and lifestyle content creators based in LA or London. But influencers with big followings are worldwide and the sponsorship relations with creators that are making gaming, male fitness, anime, pop culture and video essay content is something you could a great video on.

[@something6510]

True. There's just so much to unpack here this could be a series unto itself. Like for the influencer world, he could touch on 'fake' or 'ai' influencers, that's a whole thing by itself. Or delve into family influencing. And I agree; influencers come in many different packages for different markets. It's such a pervasive job on the internet now.

[@TheTarrMan]

Everything is an Ad these days. Honestly it's a disgusting trend that goes on and once someone starts doing it I lose all respect.

[@note4note804]

This feels like it's entirely missing the parasocial aspect of "influencers". In a lot of ways, influencers are just piggybacking off of word of mouth engagement with products. You get something because a coworker or a friend or family member tells you about it and says it's good. Why do you trust Joanne from HR about movies, or your sister about good food? You don't, but they're familiar, and familiarity feels like trust. Having your favorite makeup reviewer hock goods at you only goes bad in the same way that your sister stops being a good person to recommend food when the place she told you about gives you food poisoning.

[@NothingHumanisAlientoMe]

The audience interaction is the BIG thing, the comment section is more often that not what people what videos for, it can be very hard to think for oneself regarding any content when you allow yourself to be swamped with millions of thoughts from millions of other people day in, day out.

[@tomg5187]

Love your videos! Really brilliant, as always!

[@klaudia1214]

Just discovered your channel, love it!!

[@luvmefood]

Nowadays whenever a KZbinr like Philip De Fanco starts talking about a product or his merchandise, I just skip through them.

[@john-r-edge]

Did you spot Georg being knowingly retro wrt KZbin's paid-for option? Of course he knows it is now called "KZbin Premium" - but referred to it by its old name "KZbin Red". He'll be talking about Marathon bars and Opal Fruits next?!

[@darkchild130]

I fancy a Marathon right now

[@mrderp3816]

You're my favorite influence, Georg

[@aidanoliver8209]

I love you. Keep posting. ❤️❤️

[@tazandalsoalastname]

I don't know why, but I have this sudden urge to buy a lava lamp...