Savvy Selfie Snapper Instagrams His Way to Success

John Sadeghipoor, 30, who is head of new business at an e-commerce company, won £7,000 in the Nectar Savvy Lifestyle competition by posting updates on weekly challenges via social media – turning his hashtags into cash.

John’s win highlights the growing trend for social media ‘peacocking’, where men are now just as likely as women to edit and filter photos on social media channels such as Instagram, to portray their lifestyle in a more aspirational way and enhance their success, wealth and physical appearance.

The challenges were judged by a panel of carefully selected celebrity experts including new BBC ‘Dragon’ Sarah Willingham, award-winning writer Danny Wallace, interior designer and style maven Abigal Ahern, and Sunday Brunch presenter, journalist and author Rebecca Seal.

In one challenge, John arranged an unforgettable James Bond-style date with fiancée, Becky. Costing just £99.20, the high-life adventure involved a helicopter ride followed by a candlelit dinner of oysters overlooking the London skyline, all of which he posted about in real-time. 

The competition held by Nectar shed light on the value of prolific but carefully filtered posting on social media. Challenging five UK contestants to document their lives on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest, it aimed to find the person with the UK’s most savvy, yet aspirational lifestyle – someone who enjoys a few of life’s indulgences whilst still being smart with their spending. In another challenge, John recreated an outfit worn by model, David Gandy, for just £69.87- adopting designer style and a new haircut at an affordable, everyday price.

John said; “Never mind material world, we’re living in a social media world and more and more people are switching to Instagram and Pinterest to share content.”

Savvy Lifestyle judge and money saving expert, Sarah Willingham, said; “John is proof that you can be stylish, and lead an aspirational life without breaking the bank.”

In the other three challenges, John posted images of his Monaco-inspired Royal Banquet, which he achieved for under £100 whilst on holiday in Nice; upcycled Moroccan designer style nesting tables that he created for just £13.57; and images of him and his fiancé learning to skydive for just £39.

Throughout the five week national competition, all six contestants experienced an average increase of almost 10% in the number of followers they have on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest, as a result of their more frequent filtered and aspirational image uploads.

John now plans to use his cash prize to take his soon-to-be new wife Becky on honeymoon to Australia. No doubt there will be no shortage of Instagram photo opportunities there

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                                                          MOVE OVER KIM…

FIVE WAYS TO GET THE CELEBRITY LIFESTYLE ON SOCIAL MEDIA FOR LESS THAN £100:

• 1. When shopping for fashion look in unexpected places. Guys always forget to shop style-savvy in supermarkets, but they often offer tailored styles and suits which are directly inspired by the latest celebrity looks
• 2. When organising a party,ask a friend or family member to be a waiter for the night for free. It’s a great way to set the scene as guests are offered a cocktail or glass of fizz on arrival
• 3. Get hands on in the home! Making something a bit run down look new only takes a little elbow grease. Sanding, painting and varnishing are all great ways to give a piece of furniture a new lease of life
• 4. Get Appy! There are so many apps out there which are designed to help you learn or discover something new – like learning a new language. Learning a new skill for little or no cost is just a download away
• 5. If you’re planning a romantic date, call ahead and let them know! You can enjoy the celebrity treatment just by telling staff it’s a special date

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To find out how to Insta filter your life and enjoy a few of life’s indulgences whilst still being clever with your money, visit nectarsavvylifestyle.co.uk to read the contestants’ blog posts and tips or search #NectarLifestyle on Instagram and Twitter.

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