Jiading influencer opens a bookshop in Shanghai Tower

Jiading influencer opens a bookshop in Shanghai Tower

Hunzhi, a social media influencer in Jiading District with 60 million followers, has opened the first offline store, Hunzhi Books, in Shanghai Tower, China’s tallest skyscraper.

Chen Lei, the store owner’s real name, used to be an auto designer in Jiading. In 2013, he began drawing historical stories by hand on his own WeChat official account “Hunziyue.”

He later resigned and concentrated on explaining difficult knowledge in an easy-to-understand manner to popularize science and culture.

Jiading influencer opens a bookshop in Shanghai Tower

Xi Rou

Hunzhi Books at Shanghai Tower

Hunzhi Books occupies nearly 2,000 square meters in the underground space at Shanghai Tower. Cartoons created by Hunzhi can be found there and can help readers understand a concept in 30 seconds.

“We are a team dedicated to spreading knowledge,” Chen said, adding that the bookstore’s opening was another watershed moment for Hunzhi. “This means that we can spread knowledge in a variety of ways, from online to offline.”

Instead of traditional book classification, the Hunzhi team recommends books from the perspective of problem solving.

The bookstore has many distinguishing features. Visitors to the creative experience zone can learn about the Hunzhi team’s cartoon creation process.

Readers can design their own avatar and print the pattern on cultural and creative products to create a one-of-a-kind gift at the “Hunzhi Universe” section.

The knowledge-sharing flash zone will collaborate with authors and platforms from various fields to provide visitors with interesting and inspiring cultural exchange and display.

The bookstore’s Hunzhi Theater, Hunzhi Coffee and Hunzhi Bar highlight the vitality and creativity of this new bookstore.

Postcards, enamel cups and paintings with distinctive Jiading characteristics can be found in the store.

Chen has high hopes for the future. “I will do everything in my power to make Hunzhi Books a highlight of Shanghai Tower,” he said. “And I hope it becomes a name card of Shanghai in the future.”

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France Could Make it Mandatory to Label Influencers' Filtered Images

France Could Make it Mandatory to Label Influencers’ Filtered Images

France’s Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire announced on Friday that the country could make it mandatory for influencers to label filtered or doctored images, as Women’s Wear Daily reported.

In a conference, Le Maire said that influencers posting retouched photos and videos on platforms such as Instagram and TikTok should be regulated in an effort to “limit the destructive psychological effects of these practices on Internauts’ esteem.” He said that there’s approximately 150,000 influencers in France, which is something the government supports but not at the expense of consumers.

The French government is planning to launch an oversight team at the Directorate General for Consumer Affairs, Competition and Fraud Prevention to effectively regulate influencers if the proposal is signed into law. It’ll be highlighted as part of a bill in the next week, and could make it so no influencer can post a photoshopped or filtered image without making it clear that it’s been touched up. 

“All promotion for cosmetic surgery by an influencer as part of a paid partnership will be prohibited,” said Le Maire. “I want to say to the influencers who do not respect the law, from now on, we will have a zero-tolerance approach. No sidestepping or breaking the rules.”

This isn’t the first time the French government has suggested such a move. Back in 2017, the country passed a law that mandated photos that featured photoshopped bodies would need to be labeled as such. Any manipulated image would need to be presented alongside the words “photographie retouchée” (retouched photograph). Any images used for advertising purposes are beholden to the law, both in print and online.

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Possible TikTok ban concerns American influencers

Possible TikTok ban concerns American influencers

Orlando TikTok influencer worries about possible app ban

“It would be like if you heard your company was doing layoffs, you would be really nervous that you might get laid off and you might not have a job.”

As U.S. lawmakers consider a nationwide TikTok ban, influencers in Central Florida are concerned about what that would mean for their wallets. If you follow foodies on TikTok, chances are you have watched Josie Maida’s posts.“I just hit 20.5 million likes,” she said. At 28, she has figured out how to cash in on those likes. “We were able to buy our house because of TikTok,” she said. “I also paid off one of my student loans because of TikTok. So last year, I paid a $30,000 student loan off in cash from money that I earned on TikTok.”Maida has over 215,000 followers. She said about 50% of her income comes from TikTok, which is why the threat of a ban is so scary. “It would be like if you heard your company was doing layoffs, you would be really nervous that you might get laid off and you might not have a job. I kind of feel the same way,” she said. A TikTok takedown would hit Maida’s wallet three ways. She doesn’t just post personal content, she also puts together videos for clients and for her own jewelry company. “Whether it’s my personal content or the content I create for brands or the content I develop for our jewelry brand, whatever it is, it would definitely mean a loss of income in a big way,” she said. Maida said no more TikTok in the U.S. would be felt coast to coast. “I’m just one person. But again, there are so many small businesses and so many local mom-and-pop shops that have found success and have been able to keep their business open because of TikTok,” she said. “If that was taken away, I think it would be really difficult on a lot of small businesses in our community and beyond.”Top headlines:Deadly fungal infection already detected in Florida, spreading at alarming rate, CDC saysRelativity Space launches 3D-printed rocket from Cape CanaveralFlorida man wanted for murder dies while fleeing from Port Orange police

As U.S. lawmakers consider a nationwide TikTok ban, influencers in Central Florida are concerned about what that would mean for their wallets.

If you follow foodies on TikTok, chances are you have watched Josie Maida’s posts.

“I just hit 20.5 million likes,” she said.

At 28, she has figured out how to cash in on those likes.

“We were able to buy our house because of TikTok,” she said. “I also paid off one of my student loans because of TikTok. So last year, I paid a $30,000 student loan off in cash from money that I earned on TikTok.”

Maida has over 215,000 followers. She said about 50% of her income comes from TikTok, which is why the threat of a ban is so scary.

“It would be like if you heard your company was doing layoffs, you would be really nervous that you might get laid off and you might not have a job. I kind of feel the same way,” she said.

A TikTok takedown would hit Maida’s wallet three ways. She doesn’t just post personal content, she also puts together videos for clients and for her own jewelry company.

“Whether it’s my personal content or the content I create for brands or the content I develop for our jewelry brand, whatever it is, it would definitely mean a loss of income in a big way,” she said.

Maida said no more TikTok in the U.S. would be felt coast to coast.

“I’m just one person. But again, there are so many small businesses and so many local mom-and-pop shops that have found success and have been able to keep their business open because of TikTok,” she said. “If that was taken away, I think it would be really difficult on a lot of small businesses in our community and beyond.”

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Wild! Influencers Uncover Their Online Bullies By Doxing

Wild! Influencers Uncover Their Online Bullies By Doxing

Recently a number of influencers have come out with their personal experiences of online bullying by posting videos and screenshots of their messages. 

What Does Online Bullying Look Like?

The online bullies (aka trolls) were allegedly posting malicious lies, and bizarre conspiracy theories, and attacking them personally. Unfortunately, there were different claims of drinking and driving, drug use, fraud, lying, bad parenting, and animal cruelty. 

Sometimes these were comments left on social media posts or direct messages. Other times there were emails, including nasty name-calling and threats of violence. Sometimes there were even dedicated snark pages created. 

Who is behind Online Bullying?

At the end of their wits, one influencer allegedly decided to hire an investigator (in digital forensics) to track down the identities of their bullies. This person was able to take records of all the messages and emails including screenshots. Then the investigator was able to analyze and identify who was behind the ‘anonymous’ messages. 

Some of the influencer’s trolls thought it was a bluff. Someone thought it was just a publicity stunt. While others changed their username or deleted their online profiles. One person was genuinely regretful and wanted to send an apology email. Several others were anxious and worried about the consequences if their family or boss found out. 

One poster claimed they could find another poster’s identity without much effort. For example, they could click on the person’s username and look at their archived Reddit posts. By doing a reverse image search on photos of her dogs, she found a Tumblr account with her full name and location. 

The online bullies turned out to be a mixture of total strangers and people they knew in real life. Some of them had even posted positive messages using their real names and negative ones when using their anonymous accounts.

Online Bully Stereotypes

You might have a stereotype that an online bully or troll is an unsociable teenage boy living in the basement of his parent’s house. He’s wearing a hoodie, drinking soft drinks, and eating takeaway pizza. Alternatively, you might have the stereotype that trolls live overseas and are just trying to scam money out of you. 

The main bully was allegedly identified and doxed. (Her username was shared in an Instagram post). As a result, it’s likely she was forced into removing her business website and all of her social media accounts. However, an online interview she’d participated in was still available. 

The alleged bully was young and attractive with long blonde hair. She loved cats, vintage clothes, and cars. She ran a marketing company and won awards for her work. Other bullies were self-employed or stay-at-home mums. 

What is Doxing?

Doxing is when someone leaks your personal information online, such as your email address, phone number, home address, or social media profile. (It comes from the word documents or .docx file extension). (Sometimes spelt with two xs – doxxing).

Doxing is potentially a criminal act and somebody could be countersued for loss of income and defamation. 

What’s a Snark Page or Forum?

Snark is a combination of snide and remark. The term simply means sarcastic comments. 

Snark pages, forums, or groups can be found on Facebook, Reddit, and other social media platforms. Usually, the posters are just venting and whinging, but sometimes they can be posting gossip, rumours, disinformation, and malicious lies. 

These communities tend to be echo chambers filled with like-minded people. The posts tend to be one-sided and there is generally a lack of any healthy debate going on. 

I’ve read a snark Facebook group who were against a popular fitness influencer. It’s common for fitness plans not to lead to the results promised, and sometimes they are too hard for beginners and anyone who is overweight. So when a person drops good money on one of these plans, it’s highly likely they might feel ripped off. These once loyal followers had turned nasty.

I’ve seen snark forums against people who are citizen journalists and influencers on social media. They might be a group of celebrity fans who are supporting one side of a legal case or situation. 

Snark Moderation Rules

It’s common for these communities to have moderation rules. These might include rules like no armchair ‘mental illness’ diagnosing and no comments about physical appearance. 

For example, NYCinfluencersnark is a community for discussion and snark about NYC Influencers. Their rules include “No attacking other users this includes bullying, harassment, doxxing, trolling, hate speech” and “No body shaming or body snark”. 

I personally would not recommend joining or spending a large amount of time reading snark posts. The hyperfocus on one person is a tad unhealthy, and the negativity could become corrosive. 

When Snarking Turns into Stalking or Bullying

However, the real issue becomes when snarkers make real-life contact or harassment. Then snarking can potentially turn into stalking. 

Survivors of online bullies have described the experience as exhausting, anxiety-inducing, and painful. Online bullying is a serious crime and unfortunately, there are numerous cases where people have taken their own lives after being targeted by vicious online trolls.

Next time you post something mean online, ask yourself, “Would you say this to the person’s face in real life?”

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Eminent Jon Lovitz Instagram Influencer Finds Holy Grail of Nostalgia Pics

Screenwriter and social media nostalgia archivist Reggie Keyohara III, like many L.A.-based Instagram users with impressive followings, loves posting pictures of glamorously garbed celebrities from bygone eras — Keyohara was even featured in a recent Wall Street Journal article about the recent resurgence in the popularity of red-carpet fashion from the pre-internet era, a trend for which Keyohara is at the forefront.

But there are two things Keyohara loves more than Patrick Swayze’s inexplicable facial hair at the 1995 Golden Globes, and that’s pictures of Jon Lovitz and pictures of Tony Danza. Keyohara’s following expects each of his posts to end with a photo of either of the two 1980s TV comedy icons — it’s a bit of a meme for the TV nostalgia community.

Well, the Los Angeles Dodgers’ 1993 Hollywood Stars Night gave Keyohara and his fans everything they’d ever wanted with a joint picture of Lovitz and Danza dressed in delightfully retro Dodgers uniforms. If Lovitz and Danza were joined by Meat Loaf and an animatronic from Jurassic Park, then this would be the ultimate 1993 nostalgia bomb.

The only thing that would make this post better for both us and Lovitz is if someone photoshopped in Andy Dick getting conked in the head by a foul ball.

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Deep dive into influencer marketing with ODE's Shabir Momin

Deep dive into influencer marketing with ODE’s Shabir Momin

One Digital Entertainment’s co-founder, Momin talks about its newly formed ‘New Media Holding’, the evolving landscape of influencer marketing, its regulations and more.

Influencer marketing has become one of the fastest-growing industries across the world, including India. It has become a big part of brands’ social media marketing mix. But how has influencer marketing evolved over the years?

The industry has witnessed remarkable growth in recent years. According to a Statista report, as of 2022, the influencer marketing industry in India was valued at over Rs 1200 crore and is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 25% over the next few years.

Thanks to this growth, many creative agencies, including One Digital Entertainment (ODE), Kinnect, Ogilvy, Schbang, Dentsu, and others, have started their own influencer marketing verticals.

ODE, a creator/influencer management company behind the likes of Prajakta Koli, aka ‘Mostlysane’, recently announced the formation of ‘New Media Holding’. It will oversee the operations of several leading brands in the digital media space. The move is a part of ODE’s efforts to streamline its global operations, bring more synergies between its businesses, and strengthen its positioning as a full lifecycle media company.

In a chat with afaqs!, Shabir Momin, co-founder, ODE, says, “The leadership is the same, nothing has changed in its structure.”

“ODE has done this restructuring because it ended up owning many brands. It has many other properties that were either acquired or built. So, we decided to put all these different properties under one global structure and then use that as a common vehicle.”

Under New Media Holding, ODE will consolidate the operations of several well-established brands, including One Digital Entertainment Creator Network, Instant Bollywood, Social Nation, OneAxcess, Pod One, Merch Garage, Digital 2 Sports, Space Hero, Being Indian, Blush, Zenga Media, StreamBay, to name a few.

In a recent Influencer.in report, 28% of the brands surveyed said they had increased their influencer marketing spends by 2x over the previous year.

With influencer marketing witnessing a spike, in terms of advertising and investment, it becomes imperative for the government to address consumer concerns that are triggered from it. The Department of Consumer Affairs recently introduced guidelines aimed at ensuring that celebrities and influencers comply with the Consumer Protection Act and associated rules or guidelines, and don’t mislead their audiences when endorsing products.

Momin mentions, “From a legal perspective, the intent is customer awareness. While 99% of the brands are responsible in nature, the remaining do try to cheat the customers. These guidelines are good for us too.”

Shabir Momin, founder of New Media Holding

Shabir Momin, founder of New Media Holding

Influencer-led merchandise

The demand for influencer-led merchandise, is on the rise lately. It has been observed that the influencer’s personal (social media) account usually has more number of followers than his/her business page. For example, there’s a big gap in terms of the followers of ‘Mostlysane’ and Koli’s brand page (‘Merch Garage’).

Are influencers able to replicate their social clout in their own brands? Does this bring in additional revenue?

“It’s definitely better than launching a new brand with zero customers, as you have a starting point with some customers. We have seen success with many of our creators who come up with their own brands. The success doesn’t depend on how big the influencer is or how big the fan base is. Word of mouth is very significant, especially in Asian markets,” points out Momin.

He adds that it does bring in additional revenue, and the creators are always looking for ways to earn more money and create better value for the brand.

ODE has been engaging with the creator economy for more than 12 years. “From investing in creators to helping them building a brand. We do a full lifecycle around the creator’s economy.”

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A Rising Trend for Brands

Social media has become an essential part of our lives, and brands are leveraging its power to promote their products and services. One of the popular trends that have emerged in recent years is influencer marketing. It is a form of marketing that involves collaborating with social media influencers to promote a brand’s products or services. With social media influencers having a significant following on platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube, brands are increasingly partnering with them to create content that resonates with their target customers.

 

Influencers are individuals who have gained a large following on social media platforms by sharing content that resonates with their audience. They have the power to influence their followers’ purchasing decisions and are often seen as trustworthy and authentic. With their ability to connect with their followers on a personal level, they create a sense of trust and authenticity. This makes them an ideal choice for brands looking to promote their products or services.

 

Brands are leveraging influencer marketing to create sponsored content, product reviews, and giveaways that promote their products. By partnering with influencers who have a specific niche or demographic, brands can ensure that their message reaches the right audience. This targeted approach has proven to be highly effective in driving engagement and sales. For example, a fitness brand can partner with fitness influencers to promote their products, reaching people who are interested in fitness.

 

In addition to promoting products, influencers can also help brands to create brand awareness and increase their reach. Influencers can share content about a brand’s values, mission, and culture, helping to create a positive brand image. This is particularly important for younger generations who are more interested in a brand’s values than just its products.

 

The influencer marketing industry is on the rise, with brands investing more than ever before in this channel. According to a survey, the influencer marketing industry is expected to be worth $16.6 billion in 2023, up from $13.8 billion in 2021. This growth can be attributed to the effectiveness of influencer marketing and the continued rise of social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram.

 

The rise of TikTok has been one of the major contributors to the growth of influencer marketing. TikTok has become one of the fastest-growing social media platforms, with over 1 billion monthly active users. It has become a platform for influencers to create engaging content and reach a younger audience. Brands are now partnering with TikTok influencers to create engaging content that resonates with a younger audience.

 

Instagram, on the other hand, is the most popular social media platform for influencer marketing. According to another survey, 89% of marketers consider Instagram to be the most important influencer marketing platform. With more than 1 billion active users, Instagram has become a hub for influencers and brands to collaborate and create content that resonates with their audience.

India has also seen a tremendous rise in the use of social media and influencer marketing in recent years. According to a report, the influencer marketing industry in India is expected to grow to $75 million by 2025. This growth is being driven by the increasing number of social media users in India, which is expected to reach 448 million by 2023. Another reason for the growth of influencer marketing is the decline in the effectiveness of traditional advertising. Traditional advertising channels like TV ads, print ads, and billboards are becoming less effective as people spend more time on social media. Brands are now looking for new ways to reach their target audience, and influencer marketing has emerged as a viable alternative.

 

In conclusion, influencer marketing has become a significant part of the marketing mix for brands. Brands are leveraging social media influencers to create content that resonates with their target customers, driving engagement and sales. With the influencer marketing industry expected to continue growing, it will be interesting to see how brands continue to use influencers to reach their target audience. Social media has changed the way we consume information, and influencer marketing is one of the ways brands are adapting to this change. It’s clear that influencer marketing is here to stay, and it will continue to play a crucial role.

 

(The Author is a marketer with over a decade of experience in digital marketing and is based out of Kashmir. He can be reached at: faisalibnimaqbool@gmail.com)

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