Lessons that we can learn from Tiktok's ANTI HAUL hullabaloo

 

A few days ago, during the height of 11.11 when influencers are churning out their product reco videos to give viewers ideas on what to buy and another reason to shop, some influencers came out with anti-haul videos. I'm one of the few influencers who first came out with an anti-haul video on Tiktok during 11.11. My intention was to provide balance to hyperconsumerist Tiktok and remind viewers to be smart shoppers, plus it's something that I've been meaning to do for quite a while now on the platform and that is to do seasonal round ups of products that did not really work for me (thought this would just be a fun topic for my account). I just held back because Tiktok viewers can be very flammable and aggressive and I did not want to deal with all the negativity and rude viewers. 

Anyway, what made me do it? Tellie Yap, blogger of Beauty By Tellie started the anti-haul vid by discussing the anti-haul subreddits; when I saw it, I took that as a sign to do my anti-haul video; I figured at least there's the two of us who would be stoned on Tiktok LOL. 

Now the fun begins.

We were small creators on the platform and we did not expect at all that the videos would go semi- viral and send everyone into a frenzy. Anti-haul was most likely the hottest topic on Tiktok Philippines for the last few days. Influencers started doing their own anti-hauls. Viewers accused influencers of "lying" about their reviews because they allegedly anti-hauled products that they raved about a month or two ago. Influencers and viewers got into digital spats. It was messy. Not happy about the catfight part though! The name-calling and mudslinging didn't have to happen!

Thing is, anti-hauls are not new. It's called by different names and titles and a lot of similar videos exist in and out of Tiktok, but I think the timing was just perfect when Tellie, me, and the other influencers have brought up the topic again on 11.11 plus by that point, I guess common viewer sentiments about consumerism, which probably have been simmering for quite sometime now, have burst.

Now that the dust has settled, what can consumers and influencers learn from this entire hullaballoo?

1. HYPERCONSUMERISM IS A PROBLEM. AND IT'S ALARMING

- And it needs to be solved. Hyperconsumerism or hyperconsumption is the overconsumption of goods, whether for functional or non-functional purposes, and mostly influenced by pressure created by society and individuals to buy in order to belong or define one's identity. Studies and reports have shown that Tiktok is one of the leading drivers of hyperconsumerism in this era. 

All these micro-trends, mini, frequent sales, highly attractive deals, bombardment of promotions and highly relatable content, and a highly intelligent algorithm with highly intelligent interest targeting have just made convincing much easier than ever, thus fueling hyperconsumption. 

All these strides in sustainability and call for collective environment conservation will not mean a thing if we continue to participate in hyperconsumerism. Because hyperconsumerism leads to more expenditure in natural resources (land, energy, water, fuel) and most of all, MORE WASTE. Hyperconsumerism also creates bad financial habits by encouraging individuals to be trend and emotional- based shoppers; in a time when the economies of the world are struggling, people should be more mindful of their spending habits and should prioritize more saving and growing their money.

2. TIKTOK INFLUENCERS SHOULD CREATE CONTENT USING A BEAUTY JOURNALISM APPROACH

- This is why I have mad respect for bloggers and editors; they create content with Beauty Journalism in mind. 

But what is it? From the latter word itself, Beauty Journalism is a journalistic approach to reviewing and talking about beauty products: it prioritizes good research, intensive trial and error with the product/s, and it's about diplomatic communication because the individual understands the power of their voice and authority.

Tiktok influencers tend to prioritize the bait and hype because it's the type of content that sells in the app, but the danger of exaggerated messaging and short, hype videos is that proper context is always sacrificed and it can mislead viewers. 

With a beauty journalism approach, no matter what type of content you prefer, whether short or long, the influencer will prioritize content with integrity, one that is well- researched, diplomatic, and provides enough pros and cons to help viewers make smart decisions.

3. CONSUMERS SHOULD BE VIGILANT OF THE INFLUENCERS THEY FOLLOW AND THE CONTENT THAT THEY CONSUME ONLINE

- There are probably trillion bits of information floating on the Internet; there are lots of good ones and lots of bad ones too. Now it's up to you to determine which content is good, valuable, and will help you become a better person and in this case, a better shopper. 

One way to help you filter information and protect yourself online is to browse and consume with intent so you're not easily swayed by hype videos and influencers.

Influencers may position themselves as authorities over certain matters, but bear in mind that they're still humans who have their own beliefs, experiences, and are subjected to their own biases so don't believe one influencer's recommendation right away; watch two or three more, compare information, and then decide whether an item is for you or not.

That's all for today's anti-haul and hope you've learned something! Hopefully after this Tiktok frenzy, there will be smarter shoppers and better influencers on the platform.

What do you think of the the anti-haul trend on Tiktok? Let's talk about it!