Are You influenced by "influencers"

Another vote for all the brethren that continue to post to this forum on a regular basis.
I have learned more from this site then all the cook books about BBQ that I have read.
Many thanks to those peeps!
Those are all the influencing my wallet can take:grin:
 
larry4406 said:
My brother in law influenced my to buy a RecTeq RT1250 pellet smoker.
Click to expand...



I get that. Family ties. However if a "BBQ celebrity" had pitched it or you saw them singing it's praises would that have been enough to make you buy?

I see a distinction between Celebrity Endorsements/product placement versus word of mouth via trusted friends and family.

I think Rec Tec with their horn handles look cool. Enjoy
 
Last edited:
Here's a screenshot of a current ad scrolling through Facebook.
Classic "me selling my stuff" (it's on sale btw)

Versus

Same brand grinder being prominently featured in celebrity YouTube videos running flawlessly.

If I needed a grinder I'd seriously look at this brand just from seeing it operating in YouTube videos. I think they're cool looking
 
Last edited:
I watch a few channels by people that in my opinion have the resumes to be making cooking videos on the internet.



I seldom buy commercial rubs, sauces or other bbq "accessories". Any of the videos that focus to much on specific products are not for me.
 
16Adams said:
I get that. Family ties. However if a "BBQ celebrity" had pitched it or you saw them singing it's praises would that have been enough to make you buy?

I see a distinction between Celebrity Endorsements/product placement versus word of mouth via trusted friends and family.

I think Rec Tec with their horn handles look cool. Enjoy
Click to expand...


I really don't like salesman and although I watch a lot of YouTube, I am skeptical of nearly all as the mast majority are just thinly veiled infomercials; influencers as you say.



You hit it on the head - Word of mouth from family and friends means way more to me.



I actually can't stand the Recteq infomercials they put on Youtube; they come across as a vacuum cleaner salesman (which I think one of the founders actually was). I would not have bought one based on their infomercials alone.



My brother in law started with many other smokers, and in fact, I have his hand-me-down New Braunfel's offset stick burner and his electric Masterbuilt. He tried a Traeger if I recall and didn't care for it. Then he got a Recteq RT-700 which he really enjoyed. He then moved up to the RT-1250 with its better controller and more space which cooked some really good eats while we visited them, seemed well built (for made in China), and very easy to run. Meanwhile I learned a good friend of mine also owns an RT-700 and loves it. So I trusted their judgement and experience and I bought the RT-1250.


The new Braunfels offset is too much to manage for wife and I. The Masterbuilt, the wood chip tray only lasts maybe 30-35 minutes so it was equally a pain to manage for long cooks; I am gifting it to a friend of mine.
 
LYU370 said:
I know the first two, no clue who the second two are. :noidea:

I guess for me, two influencers were Jeff Smith, the Frugal Gourmet & Alton Brown. I've been making Jeff's Beer & Dill Carrots for close to 40 years. Alton's City Ham probably 25 years & his home made green bean casserole is killer!
Click to expand...

You can find both on YouTube. Fun to watch.

Bob
 
I wonder how many folks bought meat cleavers like Martin Yan, Yan Can Cook?? I bought Jeff Smith's cookbook and gave several as gifts.

I'm guilty.
 
I'll be honest, I am influenced by a lot of things, including YT people. I've also been influenced by many people here, and over at the SmokeRing, which is the first forum I was on. I've learned a lot of great stuff over the last 15 years from various outlets, even including those ancient things with paper in them.....BOOKS.

With regards to barbecue, my biggest influencers outside of the forums are/were Ray Lampe (aka Dr. BBQ), Malcolm Reed, and Mike Mills.

I found Malcolm as I was looking into competition cooking with my Yoder pellet. What I still like today is he cooks on a lot of different equipment and doesn't push one type over the other. You've all seen the arguments in QT here....Pellet sucks/Stick Burner is the only way to go/Build a UDS, etc. I hate those posts and don't listen to the blow hards here that espouse only one way to cook.

At the end of the day, I don't think it matters if you were "influenced" by someone on social media to buy something or try something. It just means you're human and that's where you are picking up an idea or desire.

My $.02 that nobody asked for..........

Cheers.
 
Influencers are a big part of what I call the “premiumization” of markets. Wagyu A5 rib-eye anyone? The choice that you worked all week for isn’t special anymore. Now you have to up your game. You really see this in another hobby of mine, bourbon sipping. People will turn their nose at Maker’s Mark or Knob Creek because it isn’t an ultra- premium rare battle at five times the cost.
 
Grain Belt said:
Influencers are a big part of what I call the “premiumization” of markets. Wagyu A5 rib-eye anyone? The choice that you worked all week for isn’t special anymore. Now you have to up your game. You really see this in another hobby of mine, bourbon sipping. People will turn their nose at Maker’s Mark or Knob Creek because it isn’t an ultra- premium rare battle at five times the cost.
Click to expand...

There's snobs in every hobby; beer snobs, wine snobs, bourbon snobs, BBQ snobs, Pizza Snobs, Influencer snobs, Car Snobs, Truck Snobs, Music Snobs, Guitar Snobs, etc. Remember when chit was just fun and you did it because you liked it; not having to worry about what other people think?
 
snadamo said:
There's snobs in every hobby; beer snobs, wine snobs, bourbon snobs, BBQ snobs, Pizza Snobs, Influencer snobs, Car Snobs, Truck Snobs, Music Snobs, Guitar Snobs, etc. Remember when chit was just fun and you did it because you liked it; not having to worry about what other people think?
Click to expand...

Watch snobs…
 
Grain Belt said:
I like your thoughts on snobs. They can be a wet blanket.
Click to expand...

Thanks. To add, Busting chops among friends is totally acceptable though. It’s those Simpsons “comic book guy”types I was referring to.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top