Insights from an HBO Documentary “Fake Famous”

Discover the essential strategies for gaining recognition in influencer culture through the lens of the thought-provoking HBO Documentary “Fake Famous.” This documentary, released in 2021, sheds light on the evolving aspirations of Gen-Z, shifting from traditional career paths to the pursuit of fame. Delving into the world of influencers, it explores how fame is often tied to receiving free products or financial rewards solely for being celebrated on social media. Clay Shirky’s observation that “everyone is now a media outlet” highlights the power of authenticity in building an audience. But what does authenticity truly mean in the influencer culture?

The Quest for Authenticity in Influencer Culture:

From an Instagram marketing perspective, authenticity revolves around a pivotal question: Why should people choose to follow you? It centers on what you offer to your followers. With Instagram transforming from a digital photo album into a thriving marketplace, the opportunity to sell something emerges. However, it all starts with presenting a unique identity, showcasing a specific lifestyle. Unlike merely sharing daily life, influencer accounts are carefully curated and driven by specific goals. This process involves creating a persona encompassing various roles, such as a fashionista, wellness guru, self-care expert, mental health advocate, athlete, successful professional, traveler, or yogi. In certain cases, multiple identities are combined, influenced by personal circumstances like parenthood or being single. For instance, an Insta-Mom, an influencer who is a mother, might share content related to parenting and children’s products, collaborating with brands in areas such as fashion, cooking, home decor, cleaning supplies, or family vacations, as children are an integral part of most people’s lives. The key to creating an influencer persona lies in offering something that ignites a desire among followers to emulate. Consequently, this persona promotion leads to brand endorsements, collaborations, sponsorships, and gifts. “Fake Famous” showcases a social experiment demonstrating the process of building an influencer on Instagram from scratch.

*** The examination of the social experiment provides insightful observations and strategies to discuss the organic growth of an audience on Instagram while avoiding spoilers that may reveal key aspects of the documentary’s storyline. ***

A Social Experiment to Get 250K Followers in Three Months:

The documentary team of “Fake Famous,” prompted by the contemporary obsession with fame, posed a straightforward question: Do you want to be famous? After receiving over 40K applications, a selection panel composed of social media experts, casting agents, and stylists interviewed the applicants. The chosen individuals lacked any specific talent to showcase on Instagram, making the social experiment more intriguing. With their curated Instagram profiles as their primary assets, they relied on staged professional photoshoots, fake location tagging, and misleading captions. One noteworthy aspect of persona creation was buying “fake friends.”

Buying “Fake Friends” and Navigating the Instagram Algorithm

Engagement on Instagram encompasses the number of followers, likes, and comments. Growing your follower count organically can be a gradual process, with the potential for a viral post to boost visibility on Instagram’s Discovery page. However, going viral doesn’t guarantee that all likes will become followers. Building a substantial follower base usually requires consistent posting of authentic content over an extended period, sometimes taking months or even years. To expedite this process, the documentary team opted to purchase 2500 bots, which are fake followers, for the aspiring influencers. This investment cost approximately $120 and aimed to provide an initial boost to their follower count. These bots are algorithmic entities created by hackers and coders, designed to simulate real users on Instagram. Furthermore, likes and comments were acquired to appear authentic on the influencers’ profiles.

Engaging with the Instagram algorithm is crucial for success on the platform. As an algorithmic filter, it determines which posts are shown on users’ feeds from the vast pool of content available. The algorithm considers users’ preferences and interests, displaying content related to their engagement patterns. For instance, users who follow numerous fashion accounts will likely see more fashion-related content. When new Instagram users consistently post content, increase their follower count, and garner likes and comments, the algorithm recognizes their growth and success. This recognition increases visibility as the algorithm showcases the content to a wider audience on Instagram’s Discovery page. Regularly sharing content is essential to maintaining engagement and attracting the algorithm’s attention.

Creating authentic content poses a significant challenge for new Instagram users. It involves capturing the right pose, angle, and lighting, as well as applying tasteful editing techniques. To support the selected influencers in crafting their content, the documentary team organized staged photoshoots complete with stylists, makeup artists, and professional photographers. These efforts aimed to provide high-quality, visually appealing content that would resonate with the audience and align with the influencers’ desired personas. By consistently producing engaging content, the influencers aimed to satisfy the demands of both their followers and the Instagram algorithm, increasing their chances of success in the influencer culture.

Distinguishing Real Content from Fake:

The documentary “Fake Famous” highlights how convincingly fake content can be produced without raising suspicion. By fabricating a flight journey, the documentary showcases the deceptive nature of influencer content. This raises questions about the ability to differentiate between real and fake content.

The Changing Notion of Fame in Influencer Marketing:

Influencers no longer exist solely to inspire others; instead, they often rely on making their followers feel inadequate. By showcasing a luxurious lifestyle and receiving free products and invitations to events, influencers create an illusion of happiness that followers believe can be attained through purchasing the same products. Fame has thus become synonymous with the number of followers an influencer possesses. However, the documentary highlights that fame and influence are not earned through talent, but by leveraging carefully crafted personas and monetizing them through sponsored posts. The focus is more on product promotion, akin to being an infomercial host, rather than being admired for specific skills or talents.

Conclusion:

Unveiling the strategies for achieving fame in influencer culture, “Fake Famous” offers thought-provoking insights into the influencer phenomenon. It raises important questions about authenticity, engagement, the role of algorithms, and the blurred line between real and fake content. Ultimately, the documentary suggests that fame in the digital age is contingent on the number of followers an individual can amass, emphasizing the influence of personas and constant consumerism in the online realm.

I highly recommend watching “Fake Famous” on HBO for those who are interested in gaining a clear understanding of how influencer marketing works.