Fredy Li: We Must Acknowledge that Social Media Advertising Has Already Taken Over Most the Ways of Advertising

Interview by Mariia Grazhina Chaplin

Fredy Li is a true example of the young generation lifestyle, a public figure with a flair for high fashion, exposing the mastery of elegance and mystery of beauty across the continents, and his millions of followers.

Do you remember when you decided to start your social media account? Was it aimed for your private usage, or have you planned to blog?

Four years ago, I decided to manage my social media account. And it all started with a simple intention: I wanted to share my style and express it freely. It wasn’t a planned project, and I had never thought about what I would do and have achieved today.

How do you manage to be sincere with your audience, and are there any spheres of your life that you prefer not to show? 

As for fashion, I have always been sincere with my audience, and I share my genuine personal views of the latest trends and thoughts about the latest runways. To be honest, I could sometimes be very critical and trenchant about the latest trends, which I regard as my way of being genuine to my audiences.

How to learn to be open with a million audience? How to deal with hate, and is it worth it?

I suffered a lot from negative comments and prejudices when I started blogging, and it takes courage and determination to get over comments that bring you negative energy. The solution I found is to concentrate more on your goals. The more determination and concentration you have on your projects, the less you will be distracted by irrelevant negative comments.

How much time does your Influencer activity take you? And how long does it take to create content?

I try to focus more on my real life and study when there are no events or fashion weeks. But I will devote 100% of my concentration to creating content whenever I get a chance. There are lots of discussions and preparations before making content, and it usually takes one to two weeks. And I show up at the event. And after that, my team will help me edit the video and content. I am fortunate to have a professional team to help me with the process.

Do you style your blogger looks by yourself, or do you have a professional stylist?

I style most of the looks by myself because I enjoy the process. Sometimes I also get advice from a professional stylist.

What was the moment you realized that you are an Influencer? How do you feel about the term’s evolution in recent years?

When I started to go to the fashion weeks a couple of years ago, most interview questions were about my styling, like what I wear or what I like to wear. People have started to recognize me on the street in recent two years, and the interview question dives deeper into the industry.

What was the most unusual offer to you that advertisers made?

There was a shaver brand that offered me an opportunity to fly to the Amazon forest to film their ad. Unfortunately, I had to reject it in the end because of a conflict in my schedule.

What kind of offers do you usually reject?

I usually reject those offers which do not go along with my public persona. I try to create an influence through my luxury lifestyle, a taste in fashion, and appreciation of beautiful art forms.

Could you please comment on the following statement: the bloggers’ credibility has dramatically dropped in recent times since 80% of them have fake followers, and all quality-defining programs are very easily cheatable. And it is why many big brands are back to old advertising methods, which reach is countable.

I can’t deny that there are a few bloggers who try to add their credibility by gaining fake followers. Still, the majority of bloggers obtain real followers by creating magnificent content. And I respect some big brands are taking a step back to the old advertising methods because I regard the old way of advertising as a beautiful art form. However, we must acknowledge that social media advertising has already taken over most ways of advertising.

What do you consider the blogger’s peak of success?

There is no peak of success in any profession, and there are only the better that you could do.

Do you think bloggers are trendsetters nowadays? Can they be considered A-list celebrities?

I think my type of A-list celebrities are those who spread positive influence in their field. And I am aiming to become one. As a fashion blogger, I want to create a platform where new independent designers can find support.

Which famous blogger would you like to collaborate with?

If it is possible, I want to collaborate with Kelly Rutherford. We had a great conversation at the World Influencer and Bloggers Awards gala dinner. Her thoughts are creative, and more importantly, I felt the positiveness from her heart.

What is your biggest, most proud online or offline accomplishment in the past year?

I was awarded as the Luxury Lifestyle Influencer at the World Influencers and Bloggers Awards, which I regarded as my most proud accomplishment this year. It is a significant acknowledgment of what I have done in the past few years.

What is your “next big move” on or off social media in 2022 that your followers should be most excited about?

I will bring more savoir-faire besides fashion styling to my audience. I want to share more knowledge and stories behind the fashion industry to spread the craftsmanship and couture sprits, which will increase the couture culture’s influence.

Two years into the global pandemic, how has your content creation adapted, evolved, and changed in response to the New Normal?

It was hard at the beginning of the pandemic because almost everything shut down. My content creation completely halted. I have to create some content I can make at home, like styling with the clothing in my closet or live-streaming with my followers to give them emotional support during a hard time. However, this gave me more opportunities to try some fields I had never stepped into before. Now, life is coming back to normal again. Events and fashion weeks are resuming. I am slowly back to my original creator path.

What is the ratio of tech know-how, business savvy, creative spark, and luck in maintaining and growing a digital audience?

A creative spark is a prerequisite, and you need the passion to keep yourself on your career path. Then it would help if you work hard to learn know-how and sharpen your business savvy. At last, a little luck will make you take off faster, but in the end, you need to have the three fundamental factors to go further in your career.