A personal reflection on how social media marketing has changed — and why honesty, empathy, and real enthusiasm still matter.
Over the last few days and weeks, we’ve been refreshing the content on our website. That process has prompted me to reflect more widely on advertising and marketing in general — how things are being done today, how dramatically things have changed, and most importantly, where we want to position ourselves in the marketplace.
It’s led to some interesting conversations and ideas. The shift in marketing over the years has been remarkable. Today, social media and influencers have become the primary tools for promotion, and many companies — including big brands — are leaning heavily on these voices to reach their audience.
In a conversation earlier today, someone remarked, “Yes, but influencers are tacky — the marketing feels below par.” And to be fair, in many cases that’s true. But not always. There are influencers out there whom I have a great deal of respect for — people who, in my view, do an excellent job.
When asked for an example, the two who immediately came to mind were George Buckley (@georgebxckley) and Sean Hammond (@holidayhammond). They are both young travel bloggers who, to me, stand out for their honesty, enthusiasm, and the genuine empathy they bring to what they do.
Yes, there’s product placement, but it’s not done in a crass or distracting way. Their excitement feels real. You can see they care about where they’re staying or what they’re experiencing. I watch their content from beginning to end — not because it’s polished, but because it’s relatable. In truth, I often find myself thinking, I wish there were more people like that in the world.
It reinforces what I’ve long believed: there’s still a real place for honesty and empathy in how we present things — in advertising, in property, in life. By contrast, some travel content today is increasingly performative. Long video sequences unboxing designer labels that have been sent over as marketing props. And I often get the same feeling when watching certain property show-throughs — where the focus seems more on the person doing the presentation than the property itself. The whole thing feels staged, even artificial.
I’d like to believe — and I do believe — that integrity, enthusiasm, and authenticity still have value. In fact, I think they’ll become more important as audiences grow tired of clickbait and exaggerated content.
There’s nothing wrong with aspiration. But aspiration without authenticity just feels hollow. And in the long run, people know the difference.
