Smoking Gun is recognised for outstanding excellence as a Mother & Baby PR agency, understanding exactly how to market to parents. So we were always going to notice Eve McGowan’s latest literary work.
You might have too, if you keep an eye on the PR, digital and social industry press. McGowan, a poet who admits to being ‘a bit ranty’ in her Twitter bio, has penned a critical poem aimed at mummy bloggers and parent influencers. More specifically, it takes a side-swipe at the unrealistic expectations influencers can force on their audience, and the exhaustion keeping up.
As a leading Manchester PR agency we work with influencers on a daily basis. And as our 2019 guide to influencer marketing shows, we are both interested and invested in the future of this practice. Nevertheless, we have blogged and written time and again about the negative effect of influencers, the lack of transparency and other ethical issues arising from their role. With this in mind, McGowan has hit the nail on the head, and her words should be heeded by baby PR professionals.
People need and want honesty, integrity, useful and relevant information from YouTube stars, bloggers and their peers.
Under the influence
We’ve been there for all the milestones.
The empowering birth,
first steps and first words.
Watched it all on our iPhones.
Potty training, sleeping through.
The algorithms of our lives are so in sync.
Like an omnipotent God, we watched over your photogenic flock.
Cooed over your fledgeling brands as they slept in their (#gifted) cots.
You’re just like us,
except you’re not.
We’re your target demographic
but your filters make our lives seem drab.
Turn comments on.
Can I ask where’s your buggy from?
Tap the photo! I’ve tagged the brands!
Can I ask where’s your money from?
It’s about helping women
to help themselves
to a Miele dishwasher and tumble dryer
#gifted #blessed
Refresh,
Swipe Up,
It’s not about sisterhood,
it’s about stuff.
It’s weird how invested we are in your family
business. We bought in and you sold out.
But we can’t keep up with the box fresh trainers
and designer kitchens and posh pyjamas.
And the holidays,
oh the holidays.
It’ll never be enough.
We want to see it all.
Let the kids watch Peppa Pig and Paw Patrol
while we click and like and scroll.
You should put us on the bank roll.
We paid for it all.
State-of-the-art Samsung telly.
Family car upgraded to a four by four.
Your life is just like ours but in high definition.
Keep the sponsored content coming and the wolf from the door.
Noses pressed to your windows, we watched you grow up.
Now we’ll huff and we’ll puff and we’ll blow your house down.
#goodvibesonly
peace and heart emojis
Feel free to unfollow
(translation: fuck off)
Let’s sever the affiliated links
between us like an umbilical cord.
Set each other free from our 4G connection
and delete the app.
The paid partnership is over
we can’t endorse it anymore.
