Self Care: The New Trend
ANNIE PATEL – In recent years, the rise of social media has allowed content and news to travel much faster among the public. With a global audience, social media has become the new way for many brands and companies to advertise. One of the most recent platforms, TikTok, has seen an increase in brands using it as a way to sell more of its products in hopes of reaching a larger audience. This goal has undeniably been fulfilled by the skincare and personal health industry, especially during the current pandemic where more people are looking to practice self-care. The phenomenon has occurred through creators, including both those who are self-taught and healthcare professionals such as dermatologists, who have publicly vouched for skincare products in addition to the brands themselves.
In the past, the most common form of advertising products for skin care and personal health was through television commercials. These products were usually accompanied by celebrities in hopes of having the viewers associate the respective products to their favorite celebrities. When the company’s marketing team chooses celebrities appropriately, such as those who have some relevance to the products, it is an effective strategy since it “enhances attitudes and reinforces behavioral intentions.” This strategy brainwashes more people to view the products in a positive light without truly understanding the effectiveness of the product itself.
These days, on the other hand, many creators on TikTok simply use their platforms to inform viewers on the effectiveness of products through their ingredients and preparation without initially starting as a spokesperson for these companies. While this type of advertising also occurs on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, and a variety of other platforms, TikTok is unique by posing as a newer platform in comparison. TikTok allows for a randomized way users can view different content. In addition, the short length of the ads allows more people to watch them in its entirety. This methodology facilitates greater exposure to various products and creators. As a result, the reviews and support of these products on this platform solely comes from the ingredients and their cost rather than other factors such as who the product is associated with or sometimes who they are endorsed by.
The skincare side to TikTok mainly advertises products that can remedy minor personal health issues, such as eye strain and acne, in addition to offering everyday products simply to protect the skin. Many more brands and companies are joining this form of advertising to expose more people to their products.
Copy Editor: Neha Kotike
Photography Source: Shweta Mistry
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