“Is it all just lip service?”: on Instagram and the normalisation of the cosmetic servicescape

Abstract

Purpose To better understand the uptake of cosmetic procedures in the wake of Instagram, this study aims to unravel how the aesthetic labour of influencers acts as the packaging of the cosmetic servicescape. In doing so, the authors contribute to theorising of aesthetic and emotional labour within the services marketing literature, fleshing out the bodywork of influential others not as employees but endorsers, who act like the “walking billboards” (Zeithaml and Bitner, 2003) for the cosmetic service industry. Design/methodology/approach This study adopts a dual qualitative approach to data collection, coupling netnographic material from Instagram posts with 16 in-depth interviews with female Instagram users who have undergone or hope to undergo cosmetic surgery. Using mediated discourse analysis, the authors weave their visual and discursive data together for a richer account of the commoditisation of cosmetic surgery. Findings Adopting a postfeminist neoliberal lens, where women are viewed as aesthetic entrepreneurs who are constantly working on the body and the self, the findings of the study reveal how influencers’ aesthetic and emotional labour help package, propagate and demystify the cosmetic servicescape. Through their visual storytelling, we see how influencers help endorse (local) cosmetic services; commoditise cosmetic procedures through the conspicuous display of their ongoing body projects whilst masking the labour and pain involved; and how face-filters that use augmented reality (AR) technology foster new forms of (digitised) body dysmorphia. Originality/value The authors shed light on the darker side of social media and body-enhancing technologies, where tales of body transformation trivialise cosmetic intervention and AR technology induces a digitised body dysmorphia.

Augmented Reality Filters and the Faces as Brands: Personal Identities and Marketing Strategies in the Age of Algorithmic Images

“…Effectively, social media using ARF have been accused by an increasing number of studies to promote "Snapchat dysmorphia" [9], a particular occurrence of body dysmorphic disorders (BDD), consisting in a misalignment between the desired image of one's body and the one actually perceived, due to continuous and intensive use of beautification ARF [10,11]. In turn, Snapchat dysmorphia would lead to lower levels of self-esteem [12] and higher levels of depression [13][14][15]; to several disorders of nutritional behaviour [16] and more frequent use of plastic surgery [17][18][19]; to selfobjectification [20,21] and adaptation to stereotypical socio-cultural aesthetic standards [22] (including racial and skin-colours ones [23]); to "aesthetic labour" [24] and mutual surveillance through female "policing gazes" [25]. However, other studies have shown that beautification is neither the only reason for the use of ARFs nor the prevailing one; in fact, aesthetic motivations are flanked by entertainment, coolness, curiosity, social interaction, silliness, having fun, creativity, brand "fandomship" and so on [26][27][28][29].…”

Endorsement on Instagram and cultural dimensions: an analysis of digital influencers

“…Instagram has become a popular platform for influencer marketing, it is the second most popular social media platform globally (behind WhatsApp) with 715 million users (W.A.S., 2022), offering a large potential audience that can be easily reached via organic ads or influencers. For this, Instagram is considered the retail arm of social media dissemination and revolutionizes organizational communication mainly through digital influencers (Rodner, 2022).…”

“…Such dimensions were selected because they have an impact on online communications, underscoring the need to take cultural differences into account in custom social media strategies (Tsai and Men, 2017). And Instagram was chosen as it is considered the retail arm of social media dissemination and revolutionizes organizational communication mainly through digital influencers (Rodner, 2022).…”

Am I Ugly or Sick? The Influence of social media on Body Dysmorphic Disorder: China and the West

“…By self-discrepancy theory, an individual may develop dissatisfaction with their body if their actual body does not align with their ideal body [9]. Therefore, where an individual receives negative responses through signaling by others about their images on social media platforms, it is likely that they will develop a body dysmorphic disorder.…”