Influencers need to maintain high ethical standards: REVU

REVU Corporation CEO Chang Dae-kyu

REVU Corporation CEO Chang Dae-kyu emphasized the necessity for social media influencers to uphold professional ethics for the industry’s advancement in a recent interview with Maeil Business Newspaper.

The company’s REVU platform reviews data from various influencers and recommends the right influencers for companies looking for influencer advertising. The service uses an artificial intelligence (AI) recommendation system that analyzes data to effectively match influencers, and all data is processed automatically, from recruitment to reporting.

“Just as doctors take the Hippocratic Oath, influencers should also uphold professional and ethical standards,” he said during the interview. He stressed the importance of considering the ripple effects of their content and creating informative content to foster the growth of the influencer industry.

Highlighting REVU’s strengths, Chang mentioned its ability to effectively increase sales via influencer marketing for businesses ranging from local store owners to global companies that include restaurants and beauty salons alongside gyms, massage shops, and cafes. With clients from almost 60,000 establishments, 1.21 million members, and 840,000 advertisements, the service now spans seven countries including Taiwan, Vietnam, and the Philippines.

Chang predicted that the scope of influencer activities would expand beyond the marketing industry to live commerce. But he emphasized that addressing the lack of professional ethics among influencers is essential to develop the industry further, pointing out issues such as fake news and content containing sensational material as prominent examples.

He pledged to address these issues through education and campaigns. As the current chairman of the Korea Influencer Industry Association, he plans to conduct campaigns and education initiatives to foster ethical standards among influencers within the association by the end of 2024.