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On August 1, 2016, Louise Delage created an account on Instagram. The 25-year-old woman from Paris shared photos of herself on beaches, at dinner parties with friends, and on fantastic vacations around the world.
Within the next two months, Delage accumulated over 58,000 followers on her account. All of her posts collected at least a couple hundred likes each.
Then, on September 30, Delage shared a video on her Instagram, revealing that her entire account had been a lie.
The ad agency BETC had been working with Addict Aide to very carefully curate all the photos that were shared on Louise Delage’s account. Every single one of the shots had been planned and posed, to highlight how a person – particularly a friend – could look like they’re happy and enjoying their life, even while they’re suffering from a problem.
All of the photos in Delage’s account featured her posing with or sitting next to an alcoholic beverage.
Everyone who had been following Delage and liking her photos had been liking, enabling, and perhaps fueling her alcohol addiction.
BETC’s careful plan in creating this account – posting at peak times, following social “influencers” to gain attention, using hashtags – had only allowed the account and its social investigation reveal itself even more clearly.
The people behind this campaign hope that they can open people’s eyes to substance abuse issues and reveal how easy it is to fake a presence and identity on social media.
You can watch the shocking video here:
