As I read through “The Age of Influence” section in this month’s issue, I was amused by the headline’s double meaning. We are, in fact, living through the heyday of influencers, when ordinary folks use social media to comment on niche interests and trends of the day and attract large followings. More importantly, they encourage virtual (and sometimes in-person) conversations that wouldn’t otherwise occur. The headline is also a fun play on another dynamic time in American history, the Age of Innocence, and I absolutely love puns.
The other meaning I latched on to was the popular assumption that all the cool influencers are twentysomethings or younger. I mean, how many times have I read about 19-year-old college dropouts racking up half a million followers on Instagram? The fun-loving influencers we highlight on the cover all look pretty young to me, too. (Spoiler alert: At my age, everyone looks young.)
It turns out that Cincinnati’s influencers, like the city itself, can’t be squeezed into one-size-fits-all boxes when it comes to age, background, schooling, or professional goals. They’re all over the place, literally. They poke around and dive into the area’s interesting restaurants, shops, and neighborhoods, and a good number make a living at it. Or aspire to.
Speaking of age, this issue is Cincinnati Magazine’s Volume 57, Issue 1, meaning we’re embarking on our 57th year in business. Were we one of the city’s first influencers? Many of us recall when dazzling color printing on glossy paper was considered the state-of-the-art medium—long before smart phones and laptops and VR. We’re energized and grateful to know this magazine continues to help influence opinions about our hometown.
One other small item in the influencers section caught my attention: our suggestions for the area’s best “Instagrammable” spots. I notice manufactured IG backgrounds in cities like Nashville or Austin, Texas, where a pair of wings painted on a wall beckons visitors to line up for selfies. Here, our favorite backdrops (Krohn Conservatory, American Sign Museum, etc.) are historic, organic, and authentic. Which is a lot like Cincinnati in general, don’t you think?
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