“Scam, Money, and Politics”: What to Remember from the Influencer Marketing Survey Supplement

If every episode of Further investigation brings his share of revelations, this he began to do cause chaos even before it goes on the air. Initially scheduled for Thursday 8 September, it was urgently postponed to Sunday following the death of Queen Elizabeth II.

If it hasn’t been postponed to a later Thursday, in the usual schedule hours, it’s because several of the show’s speakers have done press to cancel the transmission. The subject matter is common, but it is worth its weight in gold: product placements and influencer’s money. More precisely, the stars of reality TV and the ecosystem that surrounds their business. Here is a summary of what to remember.

The profitable business of product placements

Presented by Tristan Waleckx, the show is on the side of the income, but also of the impact of French reality TV stars who, after their time on television, become influencers and influencers.

In Dubai, a tax haven where many of them have taken up residence (one of the participants also specifies that the fact that they can stay ” everything he earns for himself, without giving anything to others “ plays an important role in his choice of residence), the relationship goes to meet Marie Germain, better known as Milla Jasmine, in the middle of promoting a product.

View inside The principles of love, The angels of reality TV Where is it Marseillais and Chtis against the rest of the worldthe 30-year-old now defines herself like this blogger and influencer, and explains that he is a millionaire. Accompanied by a coach for product positioningwe see her recommending a product that is supposed to help with weight loss, whose brand seeks to reach an audience “ young and feminine “, All with a handy promotional code for its subscribers.

For an uninformed audience, these images might surprise you. Indeed, where the influencer’s stories make an impression of naturalness and friendly recommendation to his community, we see her learn, then repeat by heart, a text provided by the brand in front of her camera, praising the effectiveness of the product.

Nothing is left to chance for the influencer, who continues to play the trust created by the impression of a shareholder relationship of its members, often very young, to encourage purchases.

A trust that would pay off twice as much traditional brand advertising. As for influencers, journalists from Further investigation he would have managed to get some figures: for Nabilla, with more than 7 million subscribers, a short video could cost up to 10,000 euros. Milla Jasmine, with over 3 million subscribers, would earn up to 3,000 euros per investment.

Magali Berdah, influencer

The reportage also focuses on the figure of Magali Berdah, “patroness of influencers” and head of a well-known agency in the sector: Shauna Events, whose Further investigation explore below.

With 60 employees and 40 million euros in turnover, the company is separated between sales soliciting brands that will pay to be promoted by the influencers represented by Magali Berdah, and by the “Talent managers”, who manage the packages and validate brands and products. Behind his falsely spontaneous stories there would therefore be a lucrative business, even for the agency whose commission, according to information from investigative journalists, would amount to a minimum of 20%.

If we hear Magali Berdah describe her agency as a protective barrier for those she accompanies, one of the investigators, Nathanya Sion, has a completely different story. when publicly denounces sexual assault that Illan Castronovo, reality candidate also represented by Magali Berdah, would have inflicted on her, the latter would have encouraged her not to speak, voice message in support. For the founder of Shauna Events, her words are “extracted from the context”.

We also observe its activities, especially in the political sphere. If you think you are one “all”, however, is courted by the political world, invited to various events and meetings by Emmanuel Macron or Marlène Schiappa. During the presidential election, candidates gave him interviews, even smug ones, in particular with Eric Zemmour (629,000 views on his YouTube channel, mainly watched by 18-24 year olds), does not fail to worry. However, when a reporter asks her if she’s not afraid of being exploited, her answer is clear: “ I’m not stupid. “ He will not elaborate the political consequences of his actions.

The ecosystem of influencer marketing

When Shauna Events is acquired by the production company Banijay (Koh Lanta, Don’t touch my TV, The people of Marseilles…), a real ecosystem is being created. Reality shows bring stars who can grow their audience in other shows in the group, increasing their online notoriety. By being represented by Shauna Events, they will be able to negotiate placements for more expensive products, earning an additional 20% commission to the parent company.

A communicating vessel method that can go even further: the investigation continues by focusing on an influence marketing agency competing with that of Magali Berdah. We find that the company not only encourages its talents to promote toxic products (in this specific case, a shampoo that causes hair loss), but that it also owns the cosmetics brand in question.

When asked about the subject, the head of the company, Wesley Nakache, replies that he is simply ” business owner “.

Scams and counterfeits

The survey also focuses on the scams these influencers can promote. Not content with doing business with shareholder relationships, these agencies can indeed lead those who work with them to promote illegal services. Investments described as “without any risk” in cryptocurrencies, the promotion of sports betting that ruins precarious young people, but also the sale of counterfeits or dropshipping, everything passes.

When reporters question Milla Jasmine or Magali Berdah on this subject, the atmosphere becomes tense. ” It was Magali who found me this contract “, answer first. “ You’re kidding me, I have 3 children and 60 employees, it’s not a game the second gets angry.

The next day, agreeing to go back in front of the camera, he talks about the margin of human error, about suspended relationships. At the end of the show, she calls herself a victim of the companies.

Limited revelations

We will keep from the report the figures generated by this influence marketing, the way this ecosystem is deployed, but also the dangerous links between the government and these influencers so close to young people.

After the broadcast, however, many Internet users wondered: why limit this hour of reportage to investigative influencers (Nabilla, Milla Jasmine, Isabeau Delatour, etc.), without ever taking an interest in the practices of influencers, no less dangerous?

And where mediocre reviews are already raining down on a generation “Less intelligent than the previous ones” who would fall into the trap “Superficial influencers », The author Valérie Rey-Robert prefers to question herself with relevance on the gaps to be filled in order to fully understand this phenomenon. For a future relationship …