Influencer marketing has become an integral part of the promotional mix these days. However, I’ve noticed that some of the influencers are losing the plot. Having striking eye lashes or the most ripped shoulders on Earth doesn’t make you a health and wellness guru. I’m being harsh, but I’m also saying that it feels like a reckoning is coming.
I was at the FoundersMade Innovation Summit in NYC this week and heard a panel on “Influencers and Brands.” The panelists suggested that to get a story written, the starting point is less important than the staying power. Which is to say, it doesn’t matter how you get the story out there, as long as it sticks.
I understand that marketing is a game of sorts, but this made me think hard about the influencer’s M.O.
What I like about influencer agencies is they can guarantee media impressions. Through a vast network of creators, they can ensure that a brand or platform is given the exact number of impressions it needs. That’s different than music partnerships, which are less reliable in terms of direct stats but more impactful, authentic, culturally relevant, and trustworthy than the typical influencer campaigns. If it shifts culture, I’m willing to bet that you surpass your goals for the project. Sure, it’s a bit more of a gamble than buying on social media or influencers, but as they say, with greater risk comes greater reward.
In a perfect world, both influencer marketing and music partnerships would be part of a brand’s marketing campaign. We’re living in the creator economy and that’s a driving force in culture.
I believe trusted human based marketing (H2H) is a big part of the next evolution of the Internet. There’s a fine line between real value and B.S. – and the consumer can smell the B.S. – so every partnership must be wrapped in authenticity in order to win. That’s why so many influencer campaigns don’t hit the mark for me, and it’s also why I’m more bullish on real creators than ever.