I’m not usually someone who gets wrapped up in celebrity worship or culture. I have some favorites and I’m mildly interested in them. But usually celebrity arrogance and superiority annoys me too much to be a die-hard fan.
Jason Aldean is one of those exceptions. I started following him on Instagram. And once I did that, I quickly found his wife, Brittany. Their little boy is adorable and I was curious about the house they’re building. I’ll admit there was also just some weird lifestyle fascination too. Honestly, who wakes up wearing contouring make-up?
Unfortunately, Brittany also uses Instagram to peddle products. At first it was just a bit comical. She’s married to a huge country-music star, does she really need the shill bucks? When she got pregnant with her second baby, things changed. She sometimes endorsed organic products before, but now she was relating it to her pregnancy. “I use organic [product] because it’s safe for me while expecting!”
If there’s one thing that ticks me off, it’s when marketing targets new moms with this approach. It’s the idea that if you don’t use a certain kind of product, here organic face cream, you’re probably going to harm your baby and be a bad mom. It’s fear-based marketing exploiting young women’s maternal instincts. Gross.
So, naturally, I commented on a couple posts making this observation. I was always polite. And I usually said something along the lines of “Brittany, I love following you so much, but the marketing of this product is kinda offensive. Non-organic products aren’t going to hurt expecting moms either.” Once I included something about Jason’s fans being from rural America where we grow those non-organic products.
I never received a response. But I didn’t expect to either. It was mostly for the other people who happened upon her post and my comment.
And then one day I heard on the radio that she had her baby girl. I grabbed my phone and brought up Instagram. But nothing. So I searched for her. She didn’t pop up. That’s when I realized she had blocked me. And the only logical explanation is because I was calling out the marketing she did for shill bucks.
Sorry, not sorry.
I mean, I’m a little sorry. Because I kinda miss the insight to their life. And seeing photos of her baby girl. And the house they’re building. But I don’t feel bad about saying something. It obviously bothered her (or her social-media team) that I did. And whatever. They should know what they’re doing is wrong. So I’m fine with it. And at least now, I know they noticed.
I’m amazed at the number of people take the “safe / precautionary” approach to food but have no problem driving down the highway or flying halfway around the world.
I wouldn’t necessarily assume that’s why it happened. They arbitrarily deleted about 10% of our 5000 member group just recently. They said it was people who didn’t post often enough but that didn’t seem to hold true. I also heard it was just a glitch — AI gone amok.
Um, sure. I’ve heard of people getting unfollowed or unfriended. But blocking people? No. My account is definitely blocked.