EWOM: LJ9

     In my opinion EWOM is a double edged sword. I think it is important for the start up of a company, but once it goes on for too long- it gets tacky. In the readings we learned about how companies can use sponsorships and ambassadors to get the word about their product out, but seeing as though they're mostly Tik Tok stars, it seems like a waste of time. That demographic they are marketing to is literally just super young kids. It made sense when Youtube was huge and brands would have Youtubers sponsor products because teenagers and young adults were their demographic. But now, it seems brands are catering to young children- which is rough for parents and their credit cards. 

    I never solely refer to EWOM because I like to derive my opinions through trial and error, but I have used it to see what makeup products are best for oily skin since my face is essentially the U.S.A's dream of finding a never ending oil supply. I think that I don't let EWOM effect me because I have a violent hatred for ads. Ever since my Youtube days of obsessing over PewDiePie and Vanoss Gaming, the sheer amount of ads they used scarred me for life. Same with all of the British Youtubers like Alfie and Zoella. I have just learned to try things on my own until I find a solid brand that works for me. The one way I do let EWOM penetrate my brain is when it comes to books and film. I use BookTok incessantly to find good romance and thriller recommendations. I have found some amazing books through there, but the recommendations are tasteful, they're not the "this is clearly an ad" type more of a your friend saying "hey I think you'd like this" which I prefer. I hate when I can tell an ad is an ad, I prefer when they're a little more creative or meaningful. Again, I can see why some people would use it for movie, TV show, book, and product recommendations, but since I'm an already an insane consumer of products- I have slowly developed my own skillset of finding products that are best for me.