PSA: haul culture is dead.

...and lowkey, thank God.

the online content we’re consuming is shifting with the economy. if you scroll your feed right now, I guarantee you’ll notice an unmistakable vibe shift away from screen time and consumerism and towards stretching what audiences already have. 

think: fin-fluencers candidly breaking down budgets, “what i thrifted this weekend,” DIY hacks, meal-prep, crafting, making things from scratch. audiences are leaning into practicality- which makes old-school haul culture (and the endless gifting that fuels it) feel…off.

when consumers (+ me) are stressed about money, nothing screams “out of touch” louder than watching million-follower creators unbox free luxury products they could easily buy themselves (looking at you, Poppi vending machines). creators are over random PR they’ll never use. and (hopefully) everyone is side-eyeing the waste.

gifting has become the poster child for everything people hate about influencer marketing: excess waste, tone-deafness, zero strategy. 

here’s my take: the problem isn’t actually gifting itself…it’s how we’re doing it. PR boxes need a rebrand.

@ creators and brands: stop treating gifting like a transaction.

brands send product, cross their fingers, and hope for a post.

creators get a freebie, maybe toss it on stories, and move on. end of story.

but listen: sending PR should not be the strategy- it’s the first date. the foot in the door. the test run.

think of it as courting: does it feel intentional? does it make sense for the creator’s audience? is there potential for a long-term relationship?

@ brands: intentional gifting means slowing down. instead of “who has the biggest following,” ask: who is the right fit for our product, our community, our story? 

be thoughtful. personalize the gift. write a note, reference their content, send something they’ll actually use.

prioritize smaller creators who aren’t drowning in PR- it’s less wasteful, more impactful, and more likely to lead to real content.

read: gifting should be the opening line of a conversation, not a shortcut to free exposure 🐸☕️

@ creators: the strategy behind PR is not all on the brands.

gifting is also an opportunity to set the tone with brands you care about. you don’t owe a post for every package. but you can use PR strategically- to show alignment with companies you’d like a deeper relationship with, or to authentically integrate products your audience will vibe with.

most importantly: posting authentically is what keeps trust intact. the onus is on you to be selective about which PR will actually resonate with your audience and your content 🐸☕️ 

TLDR: done right, gifting sparks authentic relationships, builds loyalty, and taps into niche communities. done wrong, it’s just noise (and waste). 

that's the tweet. over and out ✌🏼

xx

-Mackenzie @ the cohort