Insta-dvertising

-SJB

• 4 min read

Candytopia, a pop-up museum with exhibits in the most eccentric locations of the US (Manhattan and California) has captured our population’s complete attention. The museum is centered around the irresistible concept of candy, featuring lollipops as red as Louboutins and jelly beans as bouncy as Carrie Bradshaw’s curls.

Even though primarily described as “irritating” by NYC commuters on their way to Penn Station, absolutely no one dares to deny the museum’s extreme popularity. Forbes named Candytopia one of the best pop-up museums to visit, and the mob of both tourists and locals on 32nd street prove that fact.

Logically, a candy museum should appeal to one audience, and one audience only: young children. But, shockingly, that doesn’t seem to be the case. Instead, the exhibit grabs the interest of an unfathomable amount of young adults, their iPhones held up high.

The attraction? Candytopia is created to be, in the words of Sophie Haigney in The New Yorker, an “Instagram Museum.” Instead of warning visitors against the use of flash photography, the museum actually encourages its visitors to snap pictures. Its set up consists of various candy props and backgrounds, specifically created to be the perfect Instagram post. Young adults artfully pose in Candytopia’s candy swirls.

Under the tag location of “Candytopia,” Instagram yields hundreds--if not thousands--of pictures. The Candytopia experience is essentially a photoshoot.

Following their lead, the Museum of Illusions can also be described as an “Instagram Museum.” Its exhibits feature a variety of mind-boggling illusions, varying from a mirrored card game to an anti-gravity room. Again, the museum is essentially a take-home experience: one that only exists after posted.

Along with the props of gum-balls and illusion mirrors, we can’t help but feel that we’re also a part of the museum setup. Due to the encouraged social media posting by consumers, Candytopia and the Museum of Illusions hardly have the need to advertise.

Instead, they’re using their consumers to advertise for them. With every Instagram post, the museums are growing enormously in popularity--and maybe, it’s thanks to us.

In a society where posting pictures has become the norm, it should come as no surprise that companies have caught on. Are we simply pawns in their advertising schemes? By constantly posting on social media, are we being treated as direct advertisements?

Is Insta-dvertising the new advertising?

In 2016, there were three major trends: bomber jackets, over-the-knee boots, and the casual, yet necessary, accessory of a Starbucks coffee cup. Before the artsy coffees of Gregory’s and Joe and the Juice took over the coffee market, Starbucks dominated the hands of every New Yorker (and, despite the cool factor of a cup of Gregory’s, it still does).

When a Starbucks barista wrote “Cark” on a coffee cup in response to the name “Marc with a C,” the Internet promptly exploded. Soon, Starbucks also dominated the social media market. Customers took pictures of their misspellings, posting cups that read “Air In” and “Kate Lawn.” Our feed was full of green sirens, and the viral misspellings seemed to only worsen in ridiculousness.

So ridiculous, in fact, that one Youtube account couldn’t help but claim the misspellings were on purpose.

Super Deluxe’s two minute video points out the pure ridiculousness of the misspellings, and identifies Starbucks as the culprit. With thousands of customers posting their hilarious misspellings, Starbucks is perpetually encouraging and receiving free advertising.

But how can advertising possibly be free? When thirteen-year-olds are considered Instagram marketing geniuses with fifty-thousand followers, how could it be that these companies have all of us fooled? Is society really that gullible?

Let’s talk about more noticeable advertising strategies. Instead of coaxing consumers into advertising for them, some companies don’t even try and hide their goal. Like Candytopia, many restaurants and stores are ensuring that a photoshoot is large part of the consumer’s experience.

Bagatelle, the hub of downtown Manhattan’s brunch scene, executes its photo-booth with sophistication. Downstairs from the restaurant itself, their neon wall tablet captures a GIF of you and your styled friends. The GIF, or moving graphic, is meant to be posted on Instagram--and Bagatelle knows that you know that.

Glossier, a makeup brand gone viral after posting their #natural and #organic products, also prides itself on their in-store advertising. Their downtown location features a pink, aesthetically-pleasing mirror that reads “You Look Good.” We all know why it’s there: selfies in that mirror are posted on Instagram by the hundreds. We know that it’s free consumer advertising. Yet, we choose to participate.

Brands are increasing their advertising strategies to meet social media consumer use. 305 Fitness, an exercise class in the city, has even caught on, and now has a photo-booth to take an Instagram of your post-workout bod. But if we know that posting for these companies grants them free advertising, why do we choose to do it? Are we secretly Candytopia employees?

One word: trade. A promotion in exchange for a promotion. In a society where millennials handle Instagram as if it’s a business, we’re all branding. Our social media accounts have become our resumes, made up of elements that we hope will best convey our personalities and interests.

This mentality applies to any advertising strategy. In addition to granting Candytopia free advertising, we rep the fact that we went. In addition to giving Starbucks publicity by posting the misspellings, we have the opportunity to entertain our followers.

The photo-booths in restaurants like Bagatelle only prove the point further: we know that we’re granting these companies free advertising, but it’s a good deal. Sure, these companies are branding--but so are we.

We’re talking business, but you should take it personally.

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