How TikTok Advertising is Linked to American Overconsumption

Image Courtesy: Vogue

On average, Americans consume more products every day than that of their body weight. Additionally, in the past decade, the consumption of goods and services has increased by 28%. These statistics highlight an issue of overconsumption. It is possible that the large influence of TikTok in everyday lives has been one cause of this trend of overconsumption. 

Overconsumption Trends on TikTok

TikTok is one particular platform that reveals the issue of overconsumption. Often, users of the platform post videos of all their cosmetic products, designer items, or collections of mass-produced goods. “Clothing hauls” are also popular on the platform, with users showcasing large amounts of clothing they have bought, often from fast fashion brands such as Shein or Zara. Though these videos seem to appear as pure entertainment, they reveal the issue of overconsumption. The large amount of items bought are unlikely to be kept and used, meaning they will inevitably be thrown away. Every year, Americans throw away over 34 billion pounds of clothing. This massive amount of goods bought and then wasted contributes to the worsening state of the environment.

The issue is not just with clothing though, overconsumption also occurs with other goods. Many consumers of beauty products or cosmetics often have multiple replicas of the same product. For example, one video on TikTok shows a user displaying her blush collection with four drawers full of products, all of which do essentially the same thing. The blushes, while they may be from different brands or have different packaging, serve the same function: adding a flush of color to the skin. It seems unnecessary to have dozens of variants of these products, and it would be nearly impossible to use up all these cosmetics before they expire. Eventually, these products, mostly made from plastic, glass, and metal, will end up in landfills, which further worsens the environment. 

Advertising Strategies

However, consumers are not the only ones taking part in overconsumption. It is not uncommon that brands will use this trend to their advantage. 

One example is Rare Beauty, a cosmetics company. The brand posted a video on TikTok of a creator organizing their makeup collection from the brand. Nearly every product from Rare Beauty’s line is shown in the video. This is much more than any normal person would ever use or even be able to afford. Not only this, but the video is made to look like an ordinary consumer is making the video, but in reality, it is brand-created content. This style of video encourages viewers to also have all the products from the brand. Comments on the video read, “My dreams,” “Ugh to have all these gems,” and “I wish everything was in stock so I can order.”

Additionally, fast fashion company Shein posted a TikTok of a woman trying on multiple clothing items from the brand. The video starts with the woman throwing plastic bags of clothing into the air. 

These advertising strategies reveal a troublesome issue when compared to these companies’ ESG policies. Rare Beauty states on its website that they are making “a conscious effort to limit waste wherever possible” and in 2021, they have worked to introduce sustainable materials into their products. Shein also states on its website that “we harness our fully integrated digital supply chain to limit excess inventory, reducing the possibility of production waste…we attempt to sell unsold or returned inventory at wholesale pricing before donating it to populations in need.” Despite these claims, Shein still has a carbon dioxide trail of 6.3 million tons, which is well below the target needed to reduce carbon emissions by 2030. Though these policies are steps in the right direction, they seem hypocritical when these brands use an advertising strategy associated with overconsumption. 

“Deinfluencing”

This advertising trend however has not gone unnoticed by consumers. In response to mass consumption encouraged by brands and influencers, a new trend coined “deinfluencing” has evolved on TikTok. Users post videos sharing reasons why they should not buy certain products or buy from certain brands. 

For example, one user shares products that are not worth purchasing, not worth spending money on, or are not reliable based on influencers’ recommendations. One comment states, “These videos brought me back down to earth.” 

Perhaps the “deinfluencing” trend is a step in the right direction towards decreasing overconsumption. However, there are many other steps to take and it is not an easy path to fix this problem.

Solutions?

One possible solution lies in brands taking a different approach to advertising their products. Instead of encouraging consumers to buy all of their products, they can encourage consumers to pick what is best for them, their wallet, and their style. By doing this, brands can not only help overconsumption, but they can also attract new loyal customers that appreciate their thoughtfulness and dedication to sustainability.

On top of this, consumers should also be aware of this trend of overconsumption and its effects. All consumers must go into a purchasing decision with a clear understanding of not only the brands’ messaging, but also the effects their purchases may have on the environment. 

By following these steps, brands and consumers can help to reduce overconsumption, and by doing so, they can help improve the environment as well.

Corey Peters