Gastronusa vs CodeBlu: A Cautionary Tale for Brands Partnering with Unqualified Influencers

The phenomenon of overconfident, unqualified digital influencers masquerading as authorities is perhaps best exemplified by the clash between "Gastronusa" and "CodeBlu" in social media.

Gastronusa represents the old guard - consisting of media journalist, restaurateurs, chefs, and creators steeped in culinary expertise honed over years of knowledge and firsthand experience. Their understanding of nuanced cuisines, cooking techniques, flavor profiles and the work of Chefs is credible.

In the opposing corner stands CodeBlu - a wealthy social media personality with slim professional culinary training or formal background. Yet through sheer affluence, braggadocio, and portraying an "everyman" consumer persona, he has cultivated a massive following number and savagely critiquing restaurants.

While CodeBlu touts his "honest" reviews from a paying customer's perspective, Gastronusa and experts such as decorated 5 star hotel Executive chef, high demand Restauranteur or Q & R Grader Instructors with CQI Certification, argue his verdicts lack nuance and rely heavily on personal opinion, revealing a clear absence of technical food knowledge. This approach not only spreads misinformation but also unfairly disparages the work of skilled chefs. His harsh but uninformed roastings have allegedly incited swarms of fans bombarding establishments with one-star reviews based solely on his unqualified assessments.

This conflict magnifies a deeply worrying crisis - when proudly unearned voices wield disproportionate influence simply through overconfident instillment online. Popular virality eclipses nuanced mastery.

The Stakes for Indonesian Micro, Small and Medium F&B Brands Are Existential

For small businesses and local restaurant brands, the implications of accidentally empowering unqualified influencers could prove financially devastating. Your credibility, so painstakingly cultivated over years of incredibly hard work, also hangs in the balance.

Imagine an enthusiastic but misinformed review from an influencer like CodeBlu going viral, grossly mischaracterizing your signature cuisine on a fundamental level. As their unearned voice overpowers yours, suddenly you're inundated with scorn from hoards who anoint them an authority figure based on follower counts, not subject competence.

What started as an earnest attempt to leverage influencer marketing for visibility has now spiraled into a full-blown credibility crisis. Your authentic mastery gets drowned out, customers turn against you, and your reputation lies in ruins based on the whims of an unqualified narrator wielding outrage as leverage for clout.

For any brand, big but especially small, recovering from such a crisis is an uphill battle burdened with deep financial implications. Costly reputation management campaigns, declining revenue as detractors spread misinformation, potential backlash from aggrieved customers and even closure - the fallout is severe.

But for micro, small and medium Indonesian businesses without big budgets to throw at such problems, a credibility implosion could prove terminal. Your entire livelihood as the family backbone or as a professional reduced to rubble because an unquestioned influencer with zero qualifications to judge your craft portrayed themselves as supreme authority.

A Harsh Wake-Up Call on Influencer Misinformation

While CodeBlu may credibly represent the perspective of one type of diner, his lack of qualifications to judge the culinary arts at a technical level is where accountability should kick in. Smash-mouth criticism uninformed by standards is just bullying from an influential privileges when aimed at skilled practitioners.

The F&B reviewer microcosm illustrates how misinformed digital influence really is a catastrophic convergence of several detached societal forces:

1. Influencer hierarchy fueled by delusions that popularity = accuracy
2. Deteriorating standards for minimal credentials required to credibly critique
3. Public illiteracy in separating perception from reality when it comes to complex skills
4. Rampant disinformation replacing expertise with delusion of grandeur/superiority
5. Erosion of nuanced discourse that acknowledges multiple perspectival legitimacies

When every aspect of society is disrupted by unqualified voices prioritizing flash over substance, it creates a bizarre world where accomplishment gets drowned out by unearned ego. We cannot let confident self-appraisers continually override legitimate mastery.

The path forward must prioritize restoring respect for credentials, rigor and true craft over bombast and pandering. Let's elevate experts who have done the work over charlatans looking to go viral with non credible takes. Digital literacy, championing evidence-based knowledge, and incentivizing truth over theatrics is crucial.

The Severe Risks for Brands Going All-In With Unqualified Influencers

1. Reputation Damage

• Associating with overt charlatans falsely portraying expertise undermines your brand's credibility
• Accusations of reckless pandering for engagement over responsible promotion and marketing

2. Misinformation Proliferation

• Influencers without subject mastery spreading falsehoods reflects poorly on aligned brands
• Harmful in sectors micro, small and medium enterprises where resources is limited to mitigate the aftermath

3. Hostile Customer Experiences

• Uninformed influencer "hot takes" can incite harassment mobs against your business
• Turning customers against you based on unqualified, unfair assessments

4. Undermining Progress

• Lending legitimacy to undeserved voices impedes reasoned discourse from real Expert who is trying to solve complex challenges
• Setback for intellectual integrity and evidence-based innovation and exploration

5. Credibility Erosion

• Most valuable brand equity is the painstakingly cultivated perception of trustworthiness
• Quickly decimated through irresponsible associations tarnishing your reputation

How Small Restaurant, Eateries and Culinary Establishment can protect themselves from partnering with unqualified Influencer

The inclination to lean towards protecting your restaurant's interests is understandable. It can be difficult to accommodate individuals who may not approach the review process with the necessary humility, professionalism, and respect for the hard work and nuances involved in running a successful food establishment.

Here are a few suggestions that may help you navigate Influencer interaction while prioritizing your business's well-being:

1. Establish clear policies: As discussed earlier, having well-defined policies regarding influencer visits and reviews can help set expectations and boundaries from the outset. This includes requirements for disclosure, transparency, content approval, and conduct during visits.
2. Exercise discretion: You have the right to be selective about which influencers or reviewers you choose to accommodate. If an individual has a history of posting insensitive, unfair, or attention-seeking reviews, you can politely decline their requests for visits or collaborations.
3. Prioritize customer experience: Focus your efforts on delivering exceptional experiences to your regular customers. Their satisfaction, loyalty, and word-of-mouth recommendations can be more valuable than catering to influencers who may not approach the experience with the necessary respect and professionalism.
4. Foster a positive online presence: Consistently share high-quality content, and behind-the-scenes glimpses on your own social media platforms and response to positive or negative customer reviews on your Google My Business page. This can help shape a positive online narrative about your restaurant and potentially counterbalance any unfair negative reviews.
5. Engage with local reputable creators and reviewers: Consider building relationships with reputable food influencers, journalists, or industry professionals who have a proven track record of providing fair, nuanced, and objective reviews. Their reviews may carry more weight and credibility with your target audience.

Example of a Restaurant's Policies regarding F&B Content Creators, Influencers, and Reviewers

Our Restaurant Policy:

1. Authenticity and Cultural Roots:

• We serve authentic food inspired by our cultural heritage and traditions.
• Reviewers must respect our culture and be open to understanding our cuisine.

2. Fair and Helpful Reviews:

• We welcome fair feedback that can help us improve while staying true to our culinary vision.
• Negative reviews that lack understanding of our small business or cultural background are not acceptable.
• Reviewers should engage with us directly to better understand our food philosophy.

3. Protecting Dining Experience:

• Surprise visits during busy times are not allowed to ensure a pleasant experience for our regular customers.
• Visitors must follow our restaurant's rules and avoid disruptions.
• Permission is required before taking photos or videos to respect privacy.

4. Collaborations and Transparency:

• We may collaborate with reviewers who genuinely appreciate our authentic cuisine and cultural roots.
• Any sponsored content or free meals must be openly disclosed by the reviewer.
• We can decline collaborations if the reviewer's values do not align with our principles.
• False or defamatory reviews may result in legal action to protect our business.

By following these policies, our small family restaurant aims to:

• Preserve our authentic cultural cuisine
• Receive fair and constructive reviews
• Provide a pleasant dining experience for all
• Collaborate transparently while upholding our values

Example on how to interact and speak to an Influencer with the intention of reviewing the Restaurant

Manager Resto: Permisi pak, maaf mengganggu sebentar. Saya perhatikan Bapak lagi sibuk foto-foto dan rekam video tempat kami.

(Excuse me, sir, sorry to bother you for a moment. I noticed you're taking photos and videos of our establishment.)

Influencer: (dengan nada terganggu) Ya, memang itu yang saya lakukan. Saya seorang influencer, dan saya di sini untuk mereview tempat makan kalian buat untuk follower saya.

(Yeah, that's kind of what I do. I'm an influencer, and I'm here to review your place for my followers.)

Manager Resto: Begitu ya. Kami senang dengan ketertarikan Anda terhadap restoran kami, tapi kami punya kebijakan khusus untuk kunjungan dan review influencer. Akan lebih baik kalau Anda kasih tahu kami sebelumnya.

(I see. While we appreciate your interest in our restaurant, we do have policies regarding influencer visits and reviews. It would have been considerate to let us know in advance.)

Influencer: (mencemooh) Dengar ya, Mas, saya cuma menjalankan pekerjaan saya di sini. Saya pergi ke mana pun saya mau, kapan pun saya mau, dan saya akan memberikan review yang jujur apa adanya kepada audiens saya. Mereka mengharapkan review yang asli dan nyata, bukan omongan manis yang dibuat-buat.

(Look, man, I'm just doing my job here. I go where I want, when I want, and I tell it like it is for my audience. They expect raw, real reviews, not some sugar-coated nonsense.)

Manager Resto: (tetap tenang) Saya mengerti keinginan Anda untuk memberikan review yang otentik, tapi kami juga punya tanggung jawab untuk memastikan pengalaman bersantap yang menyenangkan bagi semua tamu kami. Kunjungan mendadak di jam sibuk bisa mengganggu yang lain.

(I understand your desire to provide authentic reviews, but we also have a responsibility to ensure a pleasant dining experience for all our guests. Unannounced visits during our peak hours can be disruptive.)

Influencer: (memutar bola mata) Terserah lah, Mas. Saya pelanggan yang membayar, jadi saya punya hak untuk berbagi pendapat saya. Jangan coba-coba menyensor saya atau mengatur cara saya bekerja.

(Whatever, dude. I'm a paying customer, so I have the right to share my thoughts however I want. Don't try to censor me or tell me how to do my job.)

Manager Resto: (dengan sabar) Saya tidak bermaksud menyensor Anda. Saya hanya ingin kita sama-sama mengerti. Kami menghargai umpan balik yang membangun, tapi kami juga mengharapkan rasa hormat dan pengertian dari para reviewer.

(I'm not trying to censor you. I simply want to establish some common ground. We welcome constructive feedback, but we also expect a certain level of respect and understanding from reviewers.)

Influencer: (dengan enggan) Oke lah, terserah. Mau Anda apa?

(Fine, what do you want me to do?)

Manager Resto: Pertama, tolong perhatikan tamu lain kami. Kalau Anda bisa ambil konten dengan cara yang sopan dan tidak mengganggu pelayanan, itu akan sangat kami hargai.

(For starters, please be mindful of our other guests. If you could capture your content discreetly and avoid disrupting the flow of service, that would be appreciated.)

Influencer: (mengangkat bahu) Ya, kayaknya saya bisa melakukan itu.

(Yeah, I guess I can do that.)

Manager Resto: Bagus. Setelah Anda selesai makan, saya dengan senang hati akan duduk bersama Anda dan bercerita tentang filosofi kuliner kami, serta inspirasi di balik menu-menu kami. Dengan begitu, review Anda bisa lebih detail dan berimbang.

(Wonderful. And after your experience, I'd be happy to sit down with you and provide some context about our culinary philosophy and the inspirations behind our dishes. That way, your review can be more nuanced and balanced.)

Influencer: (menimbang-nimbang) Hmm, kayaknya itu bisa bermanfaat bagi audiens saya. Memberikan mereka gambaran yang lengkap dan sebagainya.

(Hmm, I suppose that could be valuable for my audience. Giving them the full picture and all.)

Manager Resto: Tepat sekali. Kami tidak meminta review yang bombastis, tapi penilaian yang adil dan berdasarkan informasi yang lengkap, yang mengakui kerja keras dan semangat yang kami tuangkan ke dalam menu kami.

(Exactly. We're not asking for a glowing review, just a fair and informed assessment that acknowledges the hard work and passion we put into our offerings.)

Influencer: (mengangguk) Oke, deal. Saya akan mencoba lebih... pengertian selama kunjungan saya. Dan saya terbuka untuk belajar lebih banyak tentang cerita Anda setelahnya.

(Alright, you've got a deal. I'll try to be more... considerate during my visit. And I'm open to learning more about your story afterward.)

Manager Resto: Terima kasih atas pengertian Anda. Kami menghargai kesediaan Anda untuk menghadapi ini dengan pikiran terbuka. Saya yakin dengan sedikit rasa saling menghormati dan transparansi, kita bisa menciptakan situasi win-win untuk kedua belah pihak.

(Thank you for your understanding. We appreciate your willingness to approach this with an open mind. I'm confident that with a little mutual respect and transparency, we can create a win-win situation for both of us.)