Social media has become an important way for people to discover beauty products.There are many influencers share their favourite products and beauty routines on platforms such as Instagram and Rednote.Sometimes,a product becomes popular not only because of what it does,but also because of the person who use it.This made me think about how much influencers affect our buying descision.
Two Step Flow Theory can help explain it.Scannell (2007) discusses how media information can reach people through opinion leaders, who help shape other people’s opinions.Today,social media influencers can act as opinion leaders because their recomendations may influence what their followers think about a product and help make it popular.
A good example is Rhode,the beauty brand founded by Hailey Bieber.Its Lip Case is a phone case designed to hold a Rhode lip treatment.According to Diner (2024), the product attracted considerable attention partly because of Bieber’s influence, but also because of its innovative design and the appeal of the products themselves.This example shows how an influencer can affract attention to a product and help make it popular.
However,I do not think that people buy products simply because influencer recommend them.When I see an attractive product,I may feel interested.Even so,I still consider its price and whether it is worth buying.If all online reviews are positive,I may wonder if the reviews are real.For this reason, I prefer to compare different opinions and look for more information before making a decision.
This theory is useful for understanding how opinion leaders can influence consumers,but it may not explain every buying decision.Product design,personal preferences and other consumers’reviews may also affect their decision.In the case of Rhode, Hailey Bieber’s influence may help explain the Lip Case’s popularity, but other factors may also play a role.
Overall,I think Two Step Flow Theory is still useful for understanding influencer marketing today.However,consumers are not simply followers who accept every recommendation.They can question information,compare opinions and make their own decisions.Understanding this helps us see that buying behaviour is influenced by both other people and our own judgement.
Reference
Scannell, P. (2007) Media and Communication. London: SAGE Publications.
Diner, J. (2024) ‘The Rhode lip case is back in stock – now meet the marketing mind behind the brand’, Vogue, 9 April. Available at: https://www.vogue.com/article/meet-the-marketing-mind-behind-the-viral-rhode-lip-case
Great post!! You give a clear example of the influential person of Rhode that specifically illustrates “the two-step theory”. This example shows that influencers attract many consumers to purchase. And you build critical thinking to explain how a beauty product is popular. You not only consider the influencer’s cause but also discuss how consumers can self-judge. Consumers can paste the product’s characteristics, price, and so on, to consider
I point out some critical thinking for this blog. If consumers are already interested in a product and compare prices and reviews before purchasing, how should we understand the role of opinion leaders in their final buying decision? Are they primarily reinforcing existing interest? For the question, I believe the role of opinion leaders may go beyond merely capturing consumers’ attention—it can also reinforce their existing interests. For example, if a consumer is already interested in a particular beauty product, a blogger’s introduction of its features, demonstration of usage, and sharing of personal experiences might address some concerns and boost the consumer’s confidence in making a purchase decision. However, increased confidence before buying does not guarantee satisfaction afterwards; consumers still need to judge based on their own actual experience. Therefore, even when consumers actively compare prices and reviews, they may still be influenced by opinion leaders—this influence can manifest in how they understand and evaluate products.