How to make friends and influence UK?

Inside the bizarre US government programme sending British influencers to America The soft-power “influencer diplomacy” aims to promote American values through Britain’s social media stars.

Cliona has just returned from a two-week tour across the United States. She went to Washington, DC, Los Angeles, New Mexico and Indiana. She met with staff from high-profile organisations, government officials, and visited celebrity-studded sites. She visited expensive film sets and studios, often just doing whatever the hell she wanted, and she didn’t pay for a single thing.

Why did Cliona go on this trip? Because she’s a social media influencer. And who funded the entire thing? The United States government.

Click to expand...

Should all future content about the USA from such influencers who go on sponsored trips be hashtagged AD?

“We’re offering an exciting opportunity for young social media influencers from across the UK to apply to take part in an exchange to learn more about important issues shaping American culture as portrayed in popular US television shows,”

The website explains how “influencers on this year’s programme would learn about American culture through the cities where certain cult television shows are set:
DC (The West Wing), Indiana (Parks and Recreation), Alburqerque (Breaking Bad), as well as LA, for a look at the entertainment industry in general”

This is bizarre
I’d watch a vlog from DC because it’s DC, my reaction wouldn’t be “oh that’s in the west wing ”

It’s only been 3 “influencers” so far. I can’t see it catching on
And they would definitely have to be transparent about how/why they’re there.

Oohthedrama said:

...

It’s only been 3 “influencers” so far. I can’t see it catching on
And they would definitely have to be transparent about how/why they’re there.

Click to expand...

I agree they should definitely be transparent if they vlog their trip.

However, it is the wider issue which may be of concern::

“It allows them to see for themselves what the United States is; what we value, how we operate, and hopefully in the future it will allow them to be, if you will, ambassadors for the United States,” Andrew tells me. “They’re reaching a demographic that doesn’t have the same kind of memories of the United States that older generations have.

Click to expand...

In this context, the USA is paying money in the hope that sponsored influencers will sell the USA brand in future to their audience. The US spokesperson is very open about it: they are targetting influencers. 3 this year may be 30 next year. Other influencers have already been sponsored there including the NI journo who was shot in (London)derry

Accordingly, if the influencer in a future vlog talks whimsically about travel in the States, or its wonderful way of life, should that be tagged? If the dread Brexit occurs and the influencer weighs in and tells their audience that they happily consumed chlorinated chicken, or if the influencer states US can-do is wonderful and the NHS should be sold off to Americans, should that not also be stamped #AD?

MAGA anybody?