‘Bionic’ basketball-playing businessman slams influencers cashing in on dodgy products
A ‘socially responsible’ influencer says he’s “frustrated” at others cutting corners to flog dodgy products for a “quick buck”.
Tor’i Brooks says he became an influencer “as a byproduct” of him being an athlete, model and entrepreneur, and is conscious of taking a mindful approach towards his online presence.
The 30-year-old from the US, was an early adopter of social media after seeing its potential in 2012, but says he’s since seen irresponsible influencers enter the market.
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“I am a person of influence but I take a different approach from the traditional influencer,” he explained.
“I am very socially responsible and I want to pass on a bigger message to more people. For me, it is about being creative and positive, not just promoting products that can make me money.
“I feel like a lot of influencers are people who are just throwing darts at the wall – many don’t have a mission or know what they want to accomplish.
“They just want to be in the spotlight and make money. Their MO seems to be to capture the eyes of audiences so they can monetize whatever they are trying to sell.
“That is the pinnacle of it and in my eyes, this isn’t right.
“Sadly, a lot of influencers will cash in any way they can – even if the products are untested or unproven.
“They should be called up on this but social media can be hard to regulate – especially when you have people live streaming or constantly posting.”
Tor’i – who earned the nickname “Bionic” after recovering from a devastating knee injury in college – says this perception of influencers is why he gets “frustrated” with the term.
He believes that being in the public eye gives them a “responsibility to steer people in the right direction.
“But people are thinking about making a quick buck,” he added.
He believes that taking on full social responsibility as influencers should is “just as difficult, if not more” than any academic pursuit – including medicine.
Speaking to Jam Prime, he said: “It is a common misconception that influencers make millions of dollars by taking a few selfies.
“That couldn’t be further from the truth. To constantly come up with content – especially when you are starting out and have little to no guidance – is incredibly difficult.
“So in terms of workload, quality and cognitive demand, I would put succeeding as an influencer up there with any academic pursuit including surgery.
“Some people might laugh at that, but then they’ve never had to stand out from the crowd in an incredibly competitive marketplace.”
Tor’i – who grew up in Michigan and now lives in LA graduated from Davenport University with a marketing degree in 2016.
He has also played basketball for the Harlem Globetrotters and is a member of Chris Brown’s team in Crew League, a four-on-four basketball competition featuring numerous other stars.
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He established his non-profit organization “ Beyond an Athlete” – which aims to uplift and educate student-athletes to achieve their best while preparing them for a future potentially outside of being a professional athlete.
Tor’i – who starred in the inaugural season of Ex on the Beach – runs all of this alongside his marketing brand Bionic which was coined after his nickname.
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