- 23 February 2024
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Patrycja Groszkowska
30% – this is the degree of smoothing your TikTok video has if you have an iPhone (20% for Android phone users), and you may not even know it. How is this possible? When you decide to create a recording, the application will automatically and without warning slightly smooth the image. This is such a subtle change that you may not notice it. However, it is sufficient to create a distorted image of the reality of users of the TikTok application popular among young people.
This information is even more alarming when we look at the data published by WHO (World Health Organization) on the mental health of young people. Among them, the rate of depression, eating disorders, low self-esteem and other mental illnesses has been increasing at an alarming rate since 2014. The increase in the rate also depends in part on the general spread of the topic of mental health care. Due to this, more people went to mental health clinics for therapy. Previously, this practice was not that common and mental health was secondary. However, we cannot underestimate the influence of social media, which promotes perfect content – a perfect body, a beautiful face. Not without reason, after all, this is what we like to see most on social media and websites.
BLUE MONDAY – a day that should never become a holiday
Social media (social media) are often not a friendly place for young people because of… adults. One of the most current and loudest examples will be the celebration of the so-called Blue Monday, which is considered the most depressing day of the year. Most marketers then put all their hands on deck and compete with others in their social profiles to use the “potential” of that day more creatively: “what can we do to improve our mood?”, “maybe we will promote blue products?”, ” How to promote a product on this “holiday”? Sounds sociopathic? Without a doubt, but this is the reality we have created for ourselves. Few went ahead and said that the promotion of this day was socially harmful. One of these brands was IKEA.
IKEA decided to create a post with graphics that fit into their chosen format.
And contrary to others, in the description shared on online platforms (Instagram, Facebook and others), she included information that such a day does not exist. Moreover, there is also a product to improve your mood (or promotion), and if you feel mentally ill and have depressive symptoms, please contact public helplines. There you will always receive the necessary help from a psychologist or therapist.
Social campaigns on social media
In opposition to the promotion of being sad and the negative impact of social media on teenagers’ self-esteem, more and more social campaigns are being created. Their task is to promote healthy behavior on the most popular social networking sites and applications among young people. These behaviors include: informing about the use of filters that improve appearance, about professional photo processing, taking care of one’s mental well-being and one’s body (e.g. in the form of the increasingly popular topic of skin care).
One of the most popular campaigns (social media marketing) is the one prepared by the Dove Foundation and UNAWEZA as part of the Dove Self-Esteem program. It features Martyna Wojciechowska – a journalist and founder of the Foundation, who shares statistics on the mental health of teenagers. The video recordings were posted on social networking sites such as TikTok, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn and are intended to raise awareness and also promote the workshop lesson created as part of their activities to be introduced in schools. It is intended to educate about activities that solve the problem of low self-esteem or negative perception of one’s body by Internet and social media users (Alpha and Z generations).
Not only campaigns, but also advertisements show the problems of young people
Another form of support and normalization of teenage problems (but not only!) are advertisements in which brands decide to cooperate with models with skin problems (ASOS, 2021), crooked/missing teeth (Gucci, 2019), plus size (the first such model – H&M, 2013). This type of actions always make a great splash and lead to increased brand awareness and increased sales. However, in this case, psychologists warn that there is a thin line – we cannot allow the promotion of unhealthy behavior that leads to, for example, obesity or exacerbation of acne.
WELLBEING – SELF CARE – BODY POSITIVITY
The positive news in all this is the healthiest trend that appeared last year – 2023, i.e. the promotion of self-care, including, for example, skin care and general well-being. Social media is currently full of this type of content, which is popular not only among brands, but also influencers and other social media users. You can see more and more accounts on TikTok and Instagram that specialize and provide knowledge about healthy eating, skin care and understanding your own behavior (psychological).
Take yourself on a date – masterdating on TikTok
A popular campaign on TikTok, which was launched before Valentine’s Day (February 14, 2024), were videos about how users took… themselves on a date. It is a wonderful, currently quite loud practice that promotes love, but above all for yourself, your body and your mind. When we can like ourselves and the time spent behind us, we can create the healthiest and best relationships with others. This phenomenon is called masterdating and appeared in August 2023. This year’s Valentine’s Day was full of content on this topic. One of the most famous were advertisements prepared by L’Oreal Paris, in which influencers were getting ready for a date with each other.
Brands promoting the well-being philosophy
More and more often, due to current trends, companies are being established that use self-care in their communication or offer products/services that support self-care. One of the most famous brands of this type in the international arena is Rare Beauty, whose CEO is Selena Gomez – singer and actress. Her company’s offer includes products and accessories for makeup and facial skin care. As the brand says about itself – they are intended to help you appreciate diversity, individualism and reject impossible to achieve canons of beauty.
In Poland, a brand that has also taken into account the issue of well-being in the products it offers (they even decided to give up visible clothing labels – they are hidden so as not to limit women to the size they wear and so that they do not feel unnecessarily embarrassed by it) is created by Oliwia Bugała-Ossier, an influencer who started on YouTube.
A certain cult of body positivity has arisen around the brand, which is clearly visible in the Bossier community, which initiated the creation of the brand. The motivational platform and social media profiles bring together women and are intended to provide general support, help, education, but also recommendations and simply creating a place for conversations, discussions and building relationships with other users.
You are enough, so let’s create a safe space on the Internet together
The mental health of the youngest is an important, socially important issue that we should all pay attention to. Especially when we work in social media and run profiles of various brands. Let’s think twice before posting content on social media – whether it will be harmful to a young user, even unintentionally. Additionally, we are committed to creating materials and campaigns that promote being authentic.
At the same time, we should pay attention to activities we see online that may potentially pose a threat – report them or constructively explain why such content is harmful, such as the Blue Monday promotion.
However, there is light at the end of this tunnel in the form of the trending topics of self-care and well-being in social media, which are promoted by brands, influencers and standard users of the platforms. Let’s create a safe, friendly and tolerant space together. After all, each of us is part of it and wants to feel good… with ourselves!
I encourage you to read the article (if you haven’t done so yet) by my colleague Radek Głyda, which discusses the issue of creating your personal brand.
