Story Sellers

The expanding world of paid social media influencers

- TATUM DOOLEY

In 1932, Lester Gaba set out to create the ideal woman. His aim was simple: she would be beautiful but attainable, a figure that the everyday person could see themselves in. Gaba named his creation Cynthia. Though Cynthia was technically a mannequin — one commissioned by Saks Fifth Avenue — Gaba started bringing her out into the world, treating her like a real person at all times.

Cynthia quickly became a quasi-celebrity. She was a regular sight at parties and events and was even photographed for a Life magazine feature. Companies, sensing an opportunity to capitalize on the attention, started sending her their products. “She received free dresses from Saks, diamonds from Tiffany’s, tickets to the Metropolitan Opera,” said journalist Roman Mars on an episode of the design podcast 99% Invisible.

“When she showed up in tabloids, she was wearing designer clothes.” Cynthia may not have been sentient, but she was a trendsetter; her brief time as a socialite-cum- advertiser also foreshadowed the world of social media influencers who dominate Instagram feeds and marketing campaigns today.

Like Cynthia, social media influencers aren’t usually celebrities, at least not in the traditional sense. They tend to be regular people — often young, often attractive — who have turned posting pictures or videos to YouTube, Instagram, Snapchat, or TikTok into jobs. For just about any niche or hobby, whether it’s travel, fashion, video games, or fishing, there’s an influencer posting about it on a daily (or hourly) basis, amassing a large and loyal following. Companies have taken note, and they are buying access to these audiences in exchange for merchandise and cash.