Dear Flavio Leu, I admit it: I find you entertaining. And yes, sometimes you make clever statements too. But honestly? Why do we watch videos by people we don’t even know – who rob us of time we could use for something other than scrolling, glued to the screen? I always said influencers don’t interest me. Then I had that Flavio Leu moment: I’m in bed next to my wife, she can barely stop laughing – «Do you know Flavio Leu? I found him on Instagram» – and bang, I too was one of his roughly 80,000 followers.
People Like You and Me
Sounds banal, but that’s how life works – and that is precisely the answer to the question of why we let strangers captivate us who have neither a special talent nor a particular aura. Quite simply: influencers are people like you and me. They speak our language, deal with the same topics, live in a similar environment. On Instagram, TikTok or YouTube they take us into their living rooms, their bathroom, the sports field or even on a date – and thus create an emotional bond with the community. They convey closeness, trust and belonging.
«Birds of a feather flock together», goes the saying – and it’s scientifically proven: studies show we judge people we trust as more similar to ourselves, and from the perceived similarity grows, in turn, trust. Researchers see an evolutionary reason: perceived similarity is said to have once secured survival. Marketers have spotted this effect too. The trick in influencer marketing is called «affective conditioning»: a neutral product is paired with a positively perceived person and thus «charged» with their qualities. Because influencers place their recommendations in the context of their own lives, they seem authentic rather than purely commercial. It’s that simple – seen from the outside, at least.
Influencers as a Money Machine?
Being an influencer is a hard job: plan locations, build props, edit videos – for hours, until every detail is right. And yet you can make a living from social media. With 5,000 followers you can expect about 350 to 800 francs per post; at two posts a week, that’s 3,000 to 6,000 francs a month. So much for the theory. In practice it sometimes looks different – take Nadja (@dailydoseofnadja), 24, a single mother. She lives with her daughter on the breadline, the monthly household budget under 300 francs. She started her channel to shake up the seemingly perfect viral world; thanks to advertising partnerships she can top up her income. Incidentally: in Switzerland only about ten per cent of influencers live from advertising fees alone.
With all due respect: there are also influencers who are simply annoying. It gets tricky when mum Annette markets her triplets Arielle, Anastasia and Anouk on Instagram (@therealeisenhardt). Or when «The Bucket List Family» plays it cool with their adventures around the world. That, at least, is my opinion.
Five Successful Swiss Influencers
Flavio Leu (@flavioleu), 25, comedian and everyday philosopher: from Instagram newcomer the Winterthur man made it to the live stage – and may soon break through as an actor. Instagram: 81,300, TikTok: 60,800. · Oluyomi Scherrer (@thispronto), 25, food blogger: as «Thispronto», the trained cook from Bern posts culinary content and easy recipes. Instagram: 387,000, TikTok: 16.5m. · Nadja Chahdi (@dailydoseofnadja), 24, affected by poverty: the Aargau woman raises awareness of poverty in Switzerland – successfully. Instagram: 16,000, TikTok: 29,300. · Nico Capone (@nicoapone.comedy), 33, comedian: the former painter became internationally famous in 2019 with parodies – usually starring his wife. Instagram: 13m, TikTok: 27.8m. · Noemi Nikita (@noeminikita), 22, beauty queen: the Bern woman gives make-up tips and has become Switzerland’s most successful TikToker. Instagram: 531,000, TikTok: 13.4m.
This article appeared in MEN issue 2/24 (November 2024).
