‘Influencer before brand’: For brands to succeed in influencer-driven commerce, they need to relax the creative reins
Tech entrepreneur and VAMP co-founder Aaron Brooks talks about the new zeitgeist in social influencer marketing, why native-creatives are a precious resource not be squandered, and how brands and marketers are still getting it wrong.
Rewind and flick through the trade press a few years back, and you might land upon any number of articles trumpeting how influencer marketing was the ‘next big thing’. And it was.
With social media still in a state of exponential overdrive, a new breed of ‘social celebrities’ were gaining the kind of audiences and bang-on demographics that brands lusted after.
Plugged in marketers gushed over the latest McKinsey reports, all citing how influencer-led word-of-mouth endorsements equated to compelling rates of higher consumer engagement and retention.
Yes, it was all very exciting stuff, then. But the influencer space has evolved at rapid pace since.
Today, without doubt, influencers remain a powerfully effective tool for brands to reach their consumers.
But it’s vital to also recognise them as a resource which shouldn’t be over-mined. Or rather, not poorly mined.
What do I mean by that? Well, as with all things, it only took a matter of time before consumers became more sophisticated.
As our lives have become increasingly integrated with social media, we have grown more finely attuned to what we’re being marketed at, and by whom.
That’s why it’s so crucial that marketers are not short-sighted or exploitative in their use of influencers.
As it currently stands, many are still getting it wrong, positioning celebrity and reach over relevance and authenticity.
What’s more, while it might seem glaringly obvious to most that not every product is the right fit for every channel, some influencer marketing agencies still pimp products out to any and all high-profile influencers – to the detriment of both the brand and the influencer’s own brand.
As influencers grow into savvy entrepreneurs, they will reject this type of promotion because they instinctively know it will damage their personal brand.
But that’s often the other problem. It’s rare that any consideration or acknowledgement is extended to the influencer and their own brand – the brand’s needs are usually always positioned above the influencer’s, but it should be the opposite.
And yes, for those vigilant brand guardians out there reading this, while that might sound counter-intuitive if not downright sacrilegious, it isn’t.
The fact is, influencers carry just as much weight, if not more, when it comes to social marketing than brand owned platforms.
So, if brands are to operate successfully within the influencer channel, they need to forget about disruption and be all about integration – working in concert with the influencer rather than trying to control the creative process.
The influencer should be allowed to interpret the product through their own creative and authentic lens.
And yes, that also necessitates brands letting go of the reins, at least in this sphere. Otherwise, the paradoxical reality is that, the more that influencers are exploited to overtly parrot a brand’s key messages or creative stance, the more their actual influence will inevitably wane.
For influencer marketing to work and have a business impact, it needs to capture the social media zeitgeist and connect brands with the right grassroots creators, native-creatives and digital bohemians, and in a genuine way.
It should not be like speed dating. If you’re not connecting with the right influencer for your brand you’re at risk of less chance of a long-term, mutually beneficial relationship with consumers.
Clumsy endorsement and transparent plugs simply don’t cut it anymore, either – consumers see right through them.
Moreover, influencers shouldn’t ever be chosen solely for their ‘followership’ (these days people collect friends like my pockets do lint). Rather, they should be carefully vetted for how engaged their content and followers are.
And that really comes down to correctly identifying these influencers and then enabling their creativity.
Which is why I know clever influencer marketing should be about placing products in the hands of creators that are genuinely passionate about them – and granting them the independence to believe in their own creative instinct, vision and interpretation of the product.
In the same way, brands need to be liberated from myopic creative controls and rigid branding guidelines, and trust in the magic a little – how else will brands evolve into a true reflection of their audience?
For a big shiny example, look at the success of Apple’s Shot on iPhone6 campaign, and how the brand tapped into the art created by its consumers.
Consumers are believing and turning to ‘real people’ with authentic unfiltered opinions.
The new era of retail is about re-tell. Consumers will buy, test and spread the work about a brand’s product on their own social channels – and it will be through the lens of their experience, not the one suggested by the brand, that others will come to engage.
That is the future of influencer marketing.
Aaron Brooks is the executive director and co-founder of Visual Amplifiers
Graham Kennedy was an early example of this model that worked very well. I would still suggest that if a brand is going to let an influencer ‘interpret’ their product, then the ‘interpretation’ should be approved before publication. Don’t take this as scepticism, I believe in the salience of the right influencer used properly.
I’m not sure Apple’s Shot on iPhone6 campaign is a relevant example, from what I’ve seen there is no prominent influencer component but I might have missed that part. Converse did something along these lines last year that I saw through paid media channels; images of customised/distressed shoes and their owners. Fit the brand perfectly.
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Well done Aaron. Great to see you and Visual Amplifiers out there moving the industry forward.
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“For a big shiny example, look at the success of Apple’s Shot on iPhone6 campaign, and how the brand tapped into the art created by its consumers”
Sorry but this isn’t an example of influencer marketing. The Shot on iPhone campaign is about images captured by everyday people first and foremost. The individuals behind it are largely irrelevant because the purpose of the campaign is to demonstrate you don’t need to be a photographer or enthusiast to capture a great image.
It’s inspiration not influencer based.
A better example of influencer marketing would perhaps be Triangl Swimwear.
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Bravo. A poignant article on how consumers are and should set the tone and creativity for brands, not the other way around.
A brands’ relativity has changed. Forever. Its no longer about big bold mission statements and oversized logos, that world has evolved.
Brands should be sculptured based on the audience that consumer that brand. And influencers are the true architects and enablers of this.
“And that really comes down to correctly identifying these influencers and then enabling their creativity.” Spot on
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If the brands could build up thousands of engaged followers using their creative direction and approval processes then they wouldn’t need us. I don’t mind approval in the way of making sure legal boxes are ticked but I refuse to allow the brands I work with tell me how an image should look. It’s my creative outlet and if there is one thing Essina O’Niell taught us influencers is that selling out for brands and compromising the authenticity of our channels is a huge mistake. It’s great to see an influencer marketing agency standing up for the talent instead of always taking the side of the brands.
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Bravo. A poignant article on how consumers are and should set the tone and creativity for brands, not the other way around.
A brands’ relativity has changed. Forever. Its no longer about big bold mission statements and oversized logos, that world has evolved.
Brands should be sculptured based on the audience that consumer that brand. And influencers are the true architects and enablers of this.
“And that really comes down to correctly identifying these influencers and then enabling their creativity.” Spot on
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Brands select influencers based on the influencer’s personal brand, which includes how and where the the influencer connects with their followers.
It’s always amazed me that after all the strategic planning that goes into selecting their ideal influencers, Brands will then try to tell them how they should engage with ‘their’ audience.
Take note Brands: it’s NOT your audience, it’s theirs! The very reason an influencer has so many followers is because they know what they’re doing when it comes to communicating with them!
Yes there’s an element of risk. But if you’re risk averse I’d suggest marketing is not one of your strong suits.
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Great article Aaron.
I couldn’t imagine being told I needed approval before I posted on my blog, it wouldn’t come across as authentic if the written words were not my own, or had been edited by the brand itself.
I’ve also knocked back many a paid post because it doesn’t fit in with my brand or readership.
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The iPhone6 campaign is probably not true “influencer marketing” if defined narrowly, however, I think it perfectly illustrates the artistry of consumer-produced content and shows the power of grassroots creators. Apple harnessed this beautifully and if this same principle can be applied, as Vamp is aiming to do, to influencer marketing then the channel will be elevated from a “cheap and easy” option for brands to one that creatively showcases brands and sells. Apple demonstrated that this is possible with their campaign.
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Excellent article Aaron. “Working in concert with the influencer” – gold. A successful influencer/brand partnership lives or dies on how well the fit is for both, and audiences have a very finely tuned radar for anything that isn’t congruent with the influencer’s voice.
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Thanks for all the great comments and positive input. It’s great to have support from various business and thought leaders within the influencer marketing space.
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I would be really interested to read a case study where an influencers attachment to a product increased sales. I’m not saying it’s not effective advertising. I’d just like to see the proof.
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Aaron, you nailed it with this. The influencers should stay pure and brands go with the creative, audience driven flow. Joining the conversation without shouting over the top.
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It’s not just Influencers though, it goes for any integrated content. Brands will get the best results when they trust the voice that has attracted that audience in the first place, no matter the medium.
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Nice piece, Aaron. @Adam also nails it. Influencers represent audiences and they’ve spent years building up, growing with and listening to those audiences. No-one will know that audience better, so if you find you’re having to try to talk an influencer into working with you – or it becomes clear it’s just about the money – then you haven’t got the right fit.
You’ll know when you’ve got it right because the influencer will be bursting with ideas for how to showcase your product in ways that will most resonate with their audience AND there won’t be a conflict with the brand’s goals.
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Final paragraph @Aaron. Spot on and exactly what we’ve experienced with Red Burlesque.
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Fascinating discussion this as I have been trying to find organisations/marketing who would give advice and influence support for a brand, Community Transport which supports frail aged and disabled Australians get about and participate in life sustaining activities. I write as the Secretary of the peak body for community transport and if anyone is interested in helping us, or could refer me to someone who might, please email me. Our industry is under a lot of pressure and change which is affecting our isolated passengers,Thanks Damian
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