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How is influencer marketing building advertisers’ trust?

September 12, 2023 No Comments

By Jessie Sampson

Trust between advertisers and consumers is the bedrock of effective advertising, not least when it comes to influencer marketing. The nature of influencers’ relationships with their followers means that transparency and authenticity are non-negotiable when it comes to communicating branded messages to their communities – and doing this successfully requires trusted partnerships between influencers and the advertisers they work with.

So, how are technological developments impacting the industry’s ability to deliver transparency? What does the growth of AI mean for authenticity in this space? And how is affiliate marketing helping to deliver a full-funnel view of influencer activations? Members of our Influencer Group share their views.

AI & influencer content

Melanie Kentish, managing partner, Gleam Futures: “As the influencer marketing industry matures with greater regulation and in-depth reporting, brands’ trust in the channel is building. Not only is the quality of content often as good as a brand’s own content, the production costs are a fraction of the price. But the most valuable asset of all is the trust fostered within influencers’ communities.

“However, the momentum at which AI is growing is startling and – now more than ever – it’s important that influencers are leading the way by turning their backs on beauty filters and holding their accounts to account to sustain that trust. Progressive advertisers will be casting authentic, filter free and diverse talent for their audiences to be truly represented. This in turn will do what’s right for both brands and society at large. It’s time to do better.”

The role of robust reporting

Ceres Cueva, SVP global publisher partnerships, Rakuten Advertising: “With marketers calling for greater measurement and transparency of campaign performance in influencer marketing, we’re seeing more brands combine influencer and affiliate marketing strategies. You get more robust reporting and actionable insights by layering affiliate tracking links into influencer campaigns; getting a full-funnel view into how influencers drive conversions throughout the consumer journey and better understand the creators, messages and creative that resonate most with your audience.

“These insights build trust between brands and influencers, solidifying relationships and allowing creators to make decisions that actively engage and convert consumers. The outcome? Lasting partnerships that transform influencers into brand ambassadors. After all, when a great storyteller or content creator can directly impact performance growth, it’s a win-win for both parties.”

Authenticity is essential

Izzy Treacy, senior campaign manager, Buttermilk: “Transparency and authenticity are key to building trust in influencer marketing. The recent #deinfluencing trend sparked some controversy amongst advertisers, but it also proved that influencers are striving to be increasingly authentic with their audiences and, in turn, brands are taking more action to encourage transparency in their collaboration.

“Technological developments are key to this – providing brands with improved access to the metrics that matter. As a result, they can clearly understand the impact of their investment and build confidence in future strategies. Additionally, with more tools providing API access directly from the platforms, advertisers can also feel more confident about their influencer selection. Finally, the increase in clear disclosure practices from bodies such as the ASA has created a level of assurance and brand safeguarding for brands investing in influencer marketing.”

By Jessie Sampson

Sourced from The Drum – iab.uk

In News

The Golden Rule of Marketing Isn’t About Consumers

October 12, 2022 No Comments

By David Baldwin

Back in the 1970s, people encountered 500 to 1,600 ads daily. If that number seems mind-blowing to you, set your mind fire extinguishers to full geyser because today the average person comes across somewhere between 4,000 to 10,000 ads in a single day.

It makes sense, right? In the ‘70s you had fewer, mostly analog media choices compared to today where you have all the traditional outlets plus tons of social media feeds, podcasts, satellite radio, banners, product placement, and all the digital hoohah serving you ads at an ever-escalating rate. We are swimming in advertising not to mention being tracked and cookied to death. (Cookie-less world, sure.)

In fact, I’d argue that social media has outkicked its coverage with advertising. Because we’re on the receiving end of such a nonstop barrage from these platforms that they don’t really exist – in any recognizable way – for the reasons they started in the first place. Remember when Facebook was about connecting with friends and Instagram was about sharing photos? Until we say, “Enough!” there will never be enough for the feeds.

So, the question is: What and how are we being fed?

First, let’s clarify, I’m an advertising guy. I’ve been doing this for going on (almost) four decades. I love advertising. When it’s good, it’s great and when it’s bad, it’s annoying – a very simple equation. But in my mind, that’s the game. Try to do the good stuff that people like and you can change everything.

It doesn’t take a raft of research to realize that most advertising these days now comes from the direct marketing wisdom of the ages: ROI-driven, tried and true rules. Never mind that the history of direct marketing is littered with campaigns that bucked the system and engaged its consumers with wonderful content and won big results. But sadly, that work has never been the norm, and it certainly isn’t these days.

And maybe I just committed what might be the problem: The word “consumer” and the idea that we’re “consumers.”

How did we – human beings with thoughts and feelings, wives, husbands, children, families, relationships – ever allow ourselves to be relegated and chained to the idea of consumption?

Are you a consumer? Really? Is that why you exist, to consume? Look at your little children, are they consumers? Are you a locust descending on a field to consume all in your path? I hope not.

And you might say it’s just a word but my orientation as a copywriter is that words are everything and how we label things bends perceptions. And man, have we bent our perceptions to think of ourselves as “consumers.”

Seriously, count how many times you hear the word “consumer” during your day. I counted once and it was something like 63 times in one day. It’s on the news, in economic forecasts, and in the papers. You can find it all over the pages of the Wall Street Journal and on just about any news site you can name. It’s everywhere.

The word is ubiquitous, and we don’t even question it. Maybe the situation was summed up beautifully by Howard Gossage who said, “I don’t know who discovered water, but I’m pretty sure it wasn’t a fish.” We’ve lost perspective and don’t see it anymore; we just accept the notion that we’re here to be consumers.

So, what’s the alternative? What if we start using different words to think of our customers?

What if we think of them as collaborators, co-conspirators, co-creators, or some better descriptor? Let’s treat them like human beings – your friends, family, brothers, sisters, moms, neighbours – not demographic statistics. David Ogilvy famously said, “The consumer is not a moron, she’s your wife.” We know this in our bones, let’s act like it.

What kind of value are you creating in people’s lives with your brand and your marketing? Start there.

Maybe, on a fundamental level, we replace consumption with collaboration. This is a facet of the diamond put forward by Michael Porter known as “Shared Value” – the idea that business is in a better position to make the world better than non-profits, NGOs, and even churches because what business does is solve a problem and then scale the solution. If business gets on the track of making things better, it’ll happen much faster than any other way. This doesn’t negate other organizations doing good, far from it. It just might offer a quicker route to making a difference by using market forces.

But a good first step might be to stop thinking of people as a number to achieve an objective. I call it the Golden Rule of Marketing:

“Market unto others the way you’d like to be marketed to.”

We have a responsibility to engage, to inform, to create quality experiences – not run into the room, drop a grenade and scream at people, exhorting them to call or click on us, dammit! It’s exhausting and unrelenting.

There has never been a better time to create work that has a point of view, a message, and leaves the viewer/reader with a positive experience or better informed. We have an opportunity to make people feel good about what we make, what they buy, and why they buy it.

Rather than consume or buy, just maybe they’ll buy into what you’re making and selling. And isn’t that better for everyone?

Feature Image Credit: Jingxi Lau

By David Baldwin

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David is an author, film producer, entrepreneur, and one of the most awarded copywriters and creative directors in the ad business today. The founder of Baldwin&, co-founder of the Ponysaurus Brewing Co, co-founder of Take Your Seat, and author of the Amazon bestseller The Belief Economy, David is also the former Chairman of the One Club, and his work has been recognized by Cannes, One Show, D&AD, Clios, Effies, and more. His film work (Art & Copy, The Loving Story) has won two Emmys and a Peabody Award.

Sourced from Brandingmag

In News

The future of marketing is IRL

July 11, 2022 No Comments

By Chris Grosso

As we come out of the pandemic, digitally native brands should recognize that the next front in the battle for customer acquisition is in real life.

With Americans returning to bars and restaurants, vacationing like never before, and even (perhaps grudgingly) returning to the office, digital brands need to be out in front of their audiences—and those audiences are out and about.

Digitally native brands are finding that having a presence in physical space is increasingly crucial to their long-term strategy for three reasons:

Consumers are ready to engage with the real world. After two years on Zoom, doom scrolling, and streaming, consumers are ready to get outside. And when they are outside, they increasingly notice advertising and brand messaging. Moreover, they often will share those out-of-home ads on social media.
Most commerce still happens in stores. Even during the 2021 pandemic, more than 85% of retail sales happened offline. Marketers want to be close to decision points for commerce, and the vast majority of those decisions still happen outside the home.
Physical presence is part of the marketing mix. One of the smartest thinkers in media today, Benedict Evans, wrote an insightful piece this past March where he argued that marketers should consider their rent spending as part of customer acquisition. He points out that the best marketers are trading off rent and marketing spending to see which has a better ROI. Some brands might need more stores—others fewer—and some can stay purely virtual. The bigger point is that brands need to recognize that customer acquisition includes retail, marketing, distribution, and advertising—a more than $750 billion annual investment pool in the U.S.

The biggest tech brands like Apple and Amazon saw the importance of physical distribution and invested in retail store networks to secure additional consumer touchpoints. In addition, smart multi-channel retailers, like Warby Parker, also extended their digital brands into physical space.

But building a physical store network is expensive and a big bet for most digitally native businesses. It requires extensive amounts of capital, long lease commitments, and a fundamentally different skill set. Apple needed to bring on Target veteran Ron Johnson to get the Apple Store right, while Amazon spent $13 billion to buy Whole Foods.

In addition, brands that are purely content- or service-based really don’t have enough transactions or volume to support the rent required to have a store network.

The fastest way for a digitally native brand to get into physical space is by using out-of-home advertising. With Americans returning to the streets, it is no surprise that out-of-home advertising surged 37% in Q4 2021. Increasingly, it is digitally native brands driving much of that growth, with Apple, Amazon, and Google all in the top 10. Direct to consumer and tech brands now constitute 28 of the top 100 OOH advertisers, according to the OAAA.

Out-of-home ads are an easy entry point into the real world and are increasingly measurable on an apples-to-apples basis with other media. Smaller formats like street furniture, in particular, allow for more granular targeting close to retail locations and real-world competitive conquesting.

Public space advertising in places like transit hubs and multi-use real estate developments have the added benefit of providing opportunities for product sampling and pop-up shops, props and stunts that drive social media sharing, and content distribution on digital screens. These allow brands to take advantage of an existing large audience without having to make the long-term commitment of a retail lease.

The most innovative digital brands are setting up long-term physical presence to promote their content and advertising. Examples include Netflix on L.A.’s Sunset Strip and DraftKings in Chicago’s Addison Station (outside Wrigley Field). These investments are a cost-effective alternative to building retail locations.

Whether it be through retail stores or out-of-home advertising, brands that can effectively compete in real life will have a massive advantage over those that remain exclusively on online platforms.

Feature Image Credit: [San4ezz007; Alex / AdobeStock]

By Chris Grosso

Sourced from FastCompany

In News

In Graphic Detail: How do consumers really feel about the metaverse?

May 27, 2022 No Comments

By Alexander Lee

Over the past year, the metaverse has grown from buzzword du jour to buzzword de l’année. Tech companies, game developers and brands alike are racing to claim a corner of the virtual world to come.

But though the metaverse hype continues to rise — in marketing departments, at least — brands interested in activating virtually should take precautions not to overwhelm potential customers. Multiple sectors such as gaming, social media and blockchain tech are currently competing to become the builders of the metaverse, leaving consumers scrambling to stay up-to-date with the latest jargon and technological developments. If brands put the virtual cart before the horse, they could risk burning their audiences out on the metaverse before it is able to fully take shape.

To get a better sense of how regular consumers are approaching the metaverse, Digiday has pulled key insights from five data reports and surveys regarding consumer sentiments and activity in the space.

Most people still don’t know what the metaverse is

A January survey by market research firm Ipsos revealed that 38 percent of Americans state that they are very or somewhat familiar with the metaverse — though this figure varies drastically depending on consumers’ age and the presence of children in their households. Over 50 percent of respondents from households containing children were familiar with the metaverse, while only 20 percent of respondents aged 55 or older said they knew the term.

As shown by the chart above, the respondents who claimed to know about the metaverse differed greatly in their explanations of what exactly it was, with some associating the term with social media and others with virtual worlds. As brands continue to activate within metaverse platforms, it could be wise for them to use these activations to educate consumers rather than assuming they have prior knowledge of the metaverse.

Most brands don’t know about the metaverse, either

If consumers are still unsure about the metaverse, some brands might be even more cautious about dipping their toes into the virtual water. A December survey by social analytics company ListenFirst revealed that only 18 percent of brand marketing and analytics executives stated that they understood the metaverse and how it would impact their brand, as reported by MediaPost. That said, this figure could increase as metaverse activations become more mainstream, as 49.5 percent of survey respondents said they “somewhat” understood the metaverse.

Regardless, this data shows that, despite the presence of flashy activations such as the VR-powered AT&T Station, not all brands are ready to follow these big names into the metaverse, given the relatively untested nature of metaverse platforms and the lack of clarity about exactly what a more fully realized metaverse might look like.

People are willing to spend money in the metaverse

While only some consumers are familiar with the metaverse, those who are comfortable operating in virtual spaces find virtual commerce to be an appealing prospect. A quarter of consumers have shopped online in a three-dimensional virtual store, per a January study by the experiential e-commerce platform Obsess. Among that cohort, virtual commerce activity was highest among millennials, with 77 percent of millennial respondents saying they had made a purchase in a virtual store.

It’s worth noting that the language around virtual commerce has not caught up with the metaverse concept. Though commerce in a three-dimensional virtual environment certainly fits into most definitions of the metaverse, only 38 percent of respondents said they would like to be able to shop in the metaverse.

Gamers are the first residents of the metaverse

Using data from its November 2021 Consumer Energy Index and Retail Pulse Survey, research company Forrester divided online adult consumers in the United States and United Kingdom into four segments: digital immersives, digital socialites, digital commoners and the digitally disconnected.

The first two groups, comprising 47 percent of all online adult consumers, are the ones best accustomed to immersive experiences and multiplayer online games, per Forrester’s recent State of the Metaverse report — and it’s the 22 percent that is digitally immersed that is most likely to adapt to the metaverse early on. 49 percent of this cohort — 11 percent of respondents overall — uses a virtual reality headset often, one indicator that Meta’s VR-focused vision for the metaverse could line up with future consumption habits.

Gamers are accustomed to virtual spaces, but still wary of web3 technologies

Companies from the Web3 and gaming sectors are vying to become the builders of the metaverse, with some game developers combining the two to create play-to-earn games that hinge on blockchain and NFT technologies. But the majority of gamers are uncomfortable with the presence of NFTs in games — 69 percent, according to a March survey by online community platform FandomSpot. Of the 69 percent of respondents who stated they hated NFTs, only 12 percent said they fully knew what NFTs were, so sentiments are likely to change as knowledge of these technologies becomes more widespread.

At the moment, though, it is undeniable that many gamers have reacted with vehement negativity whenever large game developers such as Ubisoft have indicated an interest in NFTs. Given the wrathful sentiment surrounding NFTs in the gaming space, brands interested in getting involved in virtual space might be able to avoid bad press by leaning into the gaming origins of the metaverse rather than its web3 potential.

Feature Image Credit: Ivy Liu

By Alexander Lee

Sourced from DIGIDAY

In News

5 Ways That Gen Z Differs from Millennials That You Must Take Into Account When Promoting Your Business

September 8, 2021 No Comments

By Adrian Falk

If you take a look at consumers from small towns to the world’s biggest cities, you will find that there is always a huge gap in age. Companies recently had to figure out what makes Millennials tick, now the focus has shifted to Generation Z. So what does Gen Z mean for your business? Some corporations have decided to put them in the same boat as Millennials, however, that is a mistake. Although Gen Z consumers share similarities with Millennials, there are important differences for advertising your business to this new generation that you’ll need to take into consideration.

Here are five ways that Generation Z differs from Millennials when you set out to promote your company.

1. Generational gap

Every generation has quirks that make them different from one another, and sometimes these differences can make it hard to have a one-size-fits-all approach for marketing to a general audience.

Let’s look at social media usage across three generations — Generation X, Millennials, and Generation Z. Gen-X’ers tend to use platforms like Twitter and Facebook more frequently, meaning that ads through these social media sites would be effective. Generation Z, on the other hand, prefers snappier ads in the form of posts or videos on Snapchat and Instagram, or ads taken out on YouTube and TikTok. They also respond well to witty marketing messages and tend to value the social media presence of a brand.

2. Diversity and inclusion

Generation Z is big on diversity and this effect can be seen in how they consistently advocate for more progressive stances from companies. Gen Z feels it is most important for companies to work with a diverse group of people with various skill levels. They want to bring everyone they can to a discussion as that is how they think the best results will be produced. Although many companies have adapted this mindset, as this generation gets older and becomes a more prominent part of the consumer base, businesses will be further encouraged to become more inclusive.

3. Consumption and expression

Generation Z tends to continue buying from brands that promote their sense of self. As discussed in a study by McKinsey & Company, Gen Z is more likely to buy a product that they can personalize or utilize in self-expression, that supports a charitable cause they believe in, and one that doesn’t explicitly advertise towards male or females. This is all in stark contrast to previous generations where, now more than ever, consumerism is being pushed in a new direction as this generation is using consumption as a means of expressing individual identity. What they buy isn’t just a commodity in some cases, it is a piece of what makes them themselves, and it’s important that companies take advantage of this when marketing to them.

4. Environmentalism

Along with progressive causes, Generation Z responds extremely positively to companies that actively promote environmentally beneficial products and practices. For clothing brands, since they are sometimes more likely to thrift than buy fast fashion products in some cases, it’s important for companies to make sure that they are producing options that make this generation feel like they are making a difference. The changes can even be small ones at first, like fully recyclable or compostable packing materials, and eventually progress into larger efforts towards sustainability.

5. Human Element

This generation is the first that is completely surrounded by technology, but despite that they largely prefer to have a human element present when a company is promoting to them. This is because of how surrounded by technology they are and that they can more easily detect when a company is being authentic and honest with them. Gen Z can see through companies’ attempts to save face or recover from a controversy, and will not purchase from a company that they view as deceitful or trying to only get their money without providing them their money’s worth.

As a company it is important to recognize that traditional methods of promoting to consumers won’t always work with Gen Z. To appeal to this group, you’ll want to focus on branding yourself as an organization that provides the right environment and benefits they seek. When advertising, if you can show how your company is embracing this younger generation as individuals, as well as demonstrating a more progressive stance, you can become very attractive to its members.

By Adrian Falk

Founder & CEO of Believe Advertising & PR

Sourced from Entrepreneur Europe

In News

Making Buildings “Healthy” As Consumers Return Indoors

November 25, 2020 No Comments

By Gary Drenik

The world had to change how we work, socialize, learn and even shop as a result of the burgeoning pandemic. Driving the change is a sudden lack of safety felt by consumers in indoor spaces — the types of spaces we used to frequent without a second thought — and buildings and facilities managers have been left to figure out how to make their spaces “healthy” in order to bring back workers, students, shoppers and restaurant goers.

To better understand what makes a building “healthy,” I recently connected with Manish Sharma, vice president and chief technology officer of Honeywell Building Technologies.

Honeywell Building Technologies creates products, software and technologies that can be found in more than 10 million buildings worldwide. Manish shared insights with me on how the pandemic is affecting people’s peace of mind, what sort of technologies we can expect to see in indoor spaces moving forward, and how building managers can ultimately restore confidence.

Gary Drenik: Covid-19 has obviously changed the world in ways we could have never imagined. What are some of the biggest changes you’ve seen? What do you think will never go back to the way it was?

Manish Sharma: One of the biggest changes that we’ve seen at Honeywell is how people’s awareness levels have increased about infection spread, the role of air quality and general space health. People are more attuned to what’s happening to change the spaces that they occupy, use and interact with to make them safer, especially aspects like air quality and adherence to safety guidelines which wasn’t top of mind for many people before. Whether you are shopping at the mall, working from the office, or in a classroom, buildings were meant to be spaces to bring people together – and now, we’re creating solutions to help people from each of these dimensions. Think of how an emphasis on safety changed the way that we fly after 9/11. We’re experiencing a similar moment of inflection now. People are going to expect – and want to see – that the buildings they use are safer and healthier. This may mean a more touchless experience in the office, new filtration and cleaning solutions in their children’s schools or automatic management of occupancy density in common gathering areas. I don’t think we’ll go back to just assuming that a building has all of the right systems in place – I think expectations will be to see and know it’s safer and healthier.

Drenik: That takes me to my next question: As we consider the return-to-work or school post-Covid-19, recent data from Prosper Insights & Analytics varying degrees of ‘comfort’ among consumers regarding returning to normalcy. With this in mind, what are some ways to ease consumer minds when it comes to being indoors in the new normal?

Prosper Comfortable Activities

Prosper Insights & Analytics

Sharma: As we eventually make our way back into indoor spaces, air quality, cleanliness, and safety are key factors in reassuring people a space is safer. Building owners and managers must reassess not only their infrastructure but how they communicate changes and precautions in effect to their occupants and visitors. They need to look at technology, beyond HVAC systems, that not only keeps consumers safer but makes them feel safer. It’s great if a mall installs a new air filtration system, but it doesn’t do anything to quell shoppers’ fears if they don’t know that it’s been installed or how well it’s working to keep them safer. Restoring confidence in being indoors is two-fold: deploying the right technology to make it safer and then educating the public on how it is keeping them safer with visible, real-time status and notifications on a building’s health.

Drenik: When you say technology beyond HVAC, what is that you’re talking about? And why is it important for building owners and managers to think beyond new HVAC systems?

Sharma: A building must be looked at holistically. Upgrading your building controls strategies and HVAC systems are just one part. Building owners and managers need to consider technology like indoor air quality sensing, HEPA-based air purifiers, automatic temperature scanning, touchless access, autonomous UV light-based surface cleaning, mask detection and bringing the data to life in a Healthy Buildings dashboard if they’re going to truly create a healthy building.

If you think of the human body, you don’t just prioritize the health of one organ, you prioritize the health of your body as a whole. An upgraded building control strategy for the HVAC system is pointless if occupants aren’t maintaining social distance or complying with wearing a mask (which video analytics and AI can tell you). Similarly, it’s important to think of ways to limit contact with frequently touched surfaces with frictionless access control and showing occupants real-time health of a building through a Healthy Buildings dashboard.

This goes for any building. From offices and schools to stadiums, airports and malls, every facility manager should be thinking how to make their space a healthier building.

Drenik: As we head into the holiday season, what do brick-and-mortar retailers need to consider?

Sharma: The remainder of the year will be a critical for many retailers. While online shopping has unsurprisingly risen since March Prosper also found that people are more likely to shop in-store in October compared to September — suggesting shoppers are preparing for in-store holiday shopping. The study also found that people are more likely to avoid certain types of stores and shop at less likely times in October, compared to September.

Prosper Comfortable Shopping in Stores

Prosper Insights & Analytics

Retailers need to consider how to reassure shoppers that they are shopping in clean and safer spaces. Stores that are not deploying the right technology or proactively sharing their safety precautions, may not attract as many shoppers. Retailers that invest in technologies to create a safer and healthier shopping experience – and transparently share with their customers what they are doing – may be more successful.

Drenik: Thank you Manish for sharing these critical insights regarding how Covid-19 has created an awareness and need for new safety measures for indoor spaces including retail stores and how Honeywell is working to keep people safe in these environments.

To stay ahead of the post-pandemic consumer, Prosper’s US Signals series of datasets include leading indicators and advanced predictive analytics covering forward looking consumer spending plans, behaviours and economic outlook:

To read my previous Forbes articles on changing consumer behaviour, predictive analytics, machine learning, data privacy and more, please click here.

Feature Image Credit: zimmytws – stock.adobe.com

By Gary Drenik

Sourced from Forbes

In News

REFLECTING ON SOCIAL MEDIA SPEND: WHEN TO SHAKE UP THE MARKETING MIX

August 25, 2020 No Comments

By Ricky Ray Butler.

This year has ushered in a period of upheaval and recalibration. As consumers explore the societal issues surrounding them, a social reckoning has begun. Consumers are setting new standards for employers, brands and public figures and are closely watching who adheres to these expectations.

Simply sharing a statement is not enough. Instead, brands must promote change by putting their money where their mouth is. In some instances, this means significant donations or investments in diversity and inclusion within the organization. For others, it means re-evaluating partnerships with companies or individuals who have become complacent in the fight for social justice.

The #StopHateForProfit movement on Facebook is the latest example of this. On July 1, Business Insider reported that more than 500 brands had committed to the #StopHateForProfit movement, pausing ad spend on Facebook and Instagram in order to voice their concern over the spread of hate speech and misinformation on the platform. As of August 11, that number had more than doubled.

From my perspective, this movement is incredibly powerful and stems from the simple truth that companies today vote with their dollars. Where and with whom they spend their money exposes more about their social ethics than what they say. And paid media is arguably one of the biggest driving forces for how brands show up and support our digital world today.

This movement has aimed to inspire change within Facebook as a business. My company’s work with content creators and in influencer marketing has shown me, however, that some content creators could be negatively impacted as well. Aside from pausing ad spend with Facebook directly, I’ve observed that many brands have also stalled or pushed out influencer marketing campaigns, which has inadvertently affected content creators whose livelihoods depend on sponsored content.

There’s an important differentiation here that brands should consider: Most influencers today operate as small businesses, and Facebook is not a part of the transaction between brands and creators. So pulling money away from holistic digital marketing campaigns in this manner doesn’t end up affecting Facebook’s bottom line — only the creators’.

As we collectively work to adjust how platforms combat hate speech, from Facebook and beyond, I encourage brands to consider whether they can continue supporting and empowering creators who are spreading positive messages and bringing communities together on a daily basis. Influencer marketing offers an incredibly diverse ecosystem of backgrounds, interests, talents, lifestyles and audiences for brands to tap into. If you’re working with creators who align with your brand’s values, you can create a natural dialogue among consumers and products or services and tie it to the world around them.

Today’s content creators also have the power to drive awareness and action around pertinent societal issues and have the audience engagement necessary to incite real change and shape a better tomorrow. Yet, while the industry is on track to be worth up to $15 billion by 2022, I still run into the same misconceptions about how only certain brands are a fit for influencer marketing, how complicated the process can be and the ultimate return on investment.

At a base level, every brand is a fit for influencer marketing campaigns, as long as it’s partnering with the right creators. Although it’s mostly touted as effective for direct-to-consumer brands, there are a multitude of options for creators and platforms to reach even the most niche audiences, whether it’s small business and entrepreneurship tips, auto repair or human resources software solutions.

For more unconventional brands looking to pursue influencer marketing, it’s important to start by really understanding which channels your audience is on and partnering with the relevant creators from there. A younger audience looking for how-to videos might call for YouTube, whereas an entrepreneurial audience might call for LinkedIn or Twitter.

Another major benefit of influencer marketing is closer visibility into who is seeing your message and the content it’s integrated within. With automated advertising on social media and the internet more broadly, there aren’t enough checks and balances to ensure that your advertisements aren’t being placed against content that is deemed unsafe or unsuitable for brand safety guidelines. From my perspective, influencer marketing can help mitigate that fear because the message is integrated into the content directly and shared with a specific audience that is already tuned into that particular channel.

At the end of the day, I believe a campaign focused on disseminating helpful, timely information with the appropriate content creators is still a viable option for brands interested in partnering with influencers. This type of marketing gives brands the opportunity to bring together diversity in background, thought and interests. Instead of having a few blanket advertisements for different audiences, brands can leverage influencer marketing to communicate with audiences through the authentic voices of creators.

That said, when pursuing an influencer campaign, it’s essential to execute it thoughtfully. This will allow you to uplift the creative process for the content creators, as well as ensure that your brand is truly engaging with audiences in a genuine way and never forcing or disrupting the content itself.

Amid all the uncertainty, 2020 has inspired immense societal change and re-evaluation. Social media giants have work to do in mitigating the spread of misinformation and hate speech, and influencer marketing offers brands a powerful antidote by putting resources behind creators who are inspiring lasting, positive change.

Facebook is but one example of a platform on the wrong side of a controversy. These moments have happened before, with YouTube and “Adpocalyspe,” and I believe they will continue to happen in the future. Such challenges are inevitable — when the cards are on the table, brands must evaluate their responses and take decisive action.

For brands that have participated in influencer marketing in the past, I see now as the time to invest in more variety, support the small businesses and entrepreneurs we call content creators, and foster creativity and dialogue where we can.

Feature Image Credit: GETTY

By Ricky Ray Butler.

Sourced from AdAge

In News

The Future Is Here Now: How Covid-19 Has Changed Consumers, Now And In The Future.

August 24, 2020 No Comments

By Gary Drenik.

On March 11 a national emergency was declared, and states quickly began locking down. The economy turned down to a trickle. By early May almost all states began to gradually reopen in phases. Now, 90 days later, Prosper Insights and Analytics August survey of over 7,500 consumers provides insights into how much they say their behaviours have changed and how they expect to behave in the future. When viewed over the course of the last 90 days there are some consistent behavioural changes occurring. These consistent changes may be emerging trends that the marketplace needs to be aware of. Below is a quick recap:

Impact of Covid-19

Consumers continue to be quite concerned and are even slightly more concerned than they were in May. These concerns are carried over to their concerns about the economy and a pessimism towards the government solving the crisis.

Concerned/very concerned about Covid-19 crisis: May 71% August 68%

Covid-19 Impacts your view of the economy: May 84% August 80%

One of the biggest impacts from Covid-19 has to do with the delivery of health services via telehealth. Every month since May this service has increased dramatically. For many who put off going to a doctor or hospital telehealth seems to have filled an important need. There is a great deal of consistency, from May to August, for emotional well-being with anger and feeling disconnected from family and friends representing significant segments of the adult population. With several vaccines entering last stages of approval many are not willing to take them especially younger folks.

Avoiding Doctors’ offices/Hospitals: May 41% August 27%

Have used telehealth during Covid-19 pandemic: May 22% August 31%

Believe a vaccine would make you feel comfortable about returning to pre-Covid-19 life: May 58% August 54%

Impact of Covid-19

PROSPER INSIGHTS & ANALYTICS

Will take an approved Covid-19 vaccine: August 44%, of those aged 65+ is 55% and 25-34 years old is at 41%. This question was not asked in May.

Prosper Aug 2020 Yes will get Vaccine

PROSPER INSIGHTS & ANALYTICS

Impacts on Individuals economic well-being/workplace

More of those laid off during Covid-19 expect to return to work but they also anticipate an impact to their earnings. Fewer also expect the economy to return to the pre-Covid-19 level. Most who are now working from home would rather continue working from home and that the workplace will be a social distance environment.

Those who are laid off and believe they will be rehired: May 77% August 67%

Think Covid-19 crisis will impact future earnings: May 45% August 46%

Think economy will return to pre Covid-19 level: May 51% August 46%

Those now working from home rather than office who want to continuing work from home: May 46% August 63%.

Think social distancing will become workplace policy: May 68% August 71%

Social Impacts

Social distancing practices appear to be a long term trend as a majority agree with social distancing policies, say they will change social behaviours in the future and plan to continue to practice social distancing in the future.

Those who agree/strongly agree with social distancing policies:

May 73% August 74%

Agree/strongly agree they will change their social behaviours in the future:

May 59% August 57%

Plan on continuing to social distance in the future:

May 83% August 84%

Impact on Retail Behaviours

Retail behavioural changes have been the most apparent due to lockdowns put in place by Governors of states back in March. These changes appear to have accelerated the digital shopping changes which have been gradually gaining ground over the past 20 years. Consumers say they like the experience which also helps them fulfil their social distancing desires. A majority say they will change their shopping behaviours in the future. Many prefer contactless checkouts. Walmart meets the needs best in brick and mortar world while Amazon is far and away the online choice. Both have increased their perceptions since May. Product shortage issues have also declined compared to May.

Agree they will change purchasing behaviours in the future:

May 51% August 50%

Walmart has the best in-store selection for what they are looking for:

May 20% August 25%

Amazon has the best online selection for what they are looking for:

May 40% August 48%.

Having trouble finding items in stores: May 31% August 23%

Having trouble finding items online: May 15% August 11%

Media coverage

One of the fastest growing survey responses is how the media is handling the coverage of the Covid-19 crisis. In August the percentage of people who believe the media coverage of Covid-19 is becoming too political is at 40% which is up from May. This growing distrust may be even more worrisome since 78% believe there will be a second wave of Covid-19 later this year.

Believe the media coverage of the Covid-19 crisis has become too political: May 39% August 40%.

Based upon what consumers have factually stated over the last 90 days, don’t be surprised to see a world where social distancing practices continue with many former office workers now working from home and shopping online…Oh wait that world appears to be here now.

Complimentary Coronavirus/Covid-19 findings are available at AWS Data Exchange. To learn more, click here: Strategic Insights: Coronavirus Covid-19 Consumer

Feature Image Credit: TIERNEY – STOCK.ADOBE.COM

By Gary Drenik.

I cover consumer-centric insights and analytics that provide executives with solutions needed to drive strategy. I am the CEO of Prosper Business Development where, for more than 20 years, we have provided market leadership and developed contemporary solutions to help Fortune 500 companies navigate change that impacts their business. I got my start in the radio industry.

Sourced from Forbes

In News

How Smaller Brands Can Use Influencer Marketing to Connect With Consumers

June 2, 2020 No Comments

By Madeleine Streets

Marketers came roaring into 2020 with plans to spend heavily on in-store experiences and brand activations such as pop-ups and parties. But with a large number of Americans still facing stay-at-home orders, industry experts are observing a shift to a different marketing approach: influencers on video platforms.

“Many small- to mid-size apparel brands are focusing in on three platforms: TikTok, YouTube and Instagram,” said Clayton Durant, founder and managing partner at consulting firm CAD Management. “Quarantine has bumped up the amount of time spent on these platforms.”

Influencer marketing is not new, but the financial strain felt by many consumers is changing the way brands approach it. Durant said traditional advertising campaigns are no longer deemed tasteful nor are they driving the meaningful engagement required to convert sales. Instead of glamorous, aspirational images, consumers want meaningful, authentic content from sources they trust. Increasingly, that means social media micro-influencers.

For many brands, partnering with a series of micro-influencers is becoming a more reliable source of marketing than traditional campaigns. These influencers usually have 50,000 to 2 million followers on social media, but speak to an engaged audience with more followers than many top celebrities. They are also less expensive to partner with.

“Many of these influencer deals give the brand the most amount of leverage in the transaction, allowing the brand to get a better ROI,” said Durant. “If you handle micro-influencer campaigns right there is more of a ‘partnership’ feel to these transactions; many micro-influencers are going above and beyond their deal points.”

Finding the most cost-effective marketing approach is more critical than ever, with many brands suffering from sales drops. But the disappearance of live marketing has also allowed for the redistribution of resources to social media, SEO and influencer campaigns. Durant believes that investing in these partnerships now could also pay off in the long term, as brands and consumers adjust to the new retail landscape.

“I expect brick-and-mortar foot traffic to take at least a year to get back to ‘normal,’” said Durant. “To make up for the loss of foot traffic, brands are going to turn to platforms like YouTube, TikTok or Twitch to create one-of-a-kind virtual shopping experiences that mimic walking in the store. That is where partnering with influencers to host digital store experiences could be quite powerful.”

TikTok, one of the pandemic’s success stories with 315 million app downloads this quarter, has also observed this shift. The platform has recently launched an ad format for influencers, enabling its more prominent users to include “shop now” links in their videos. For brands to capitalize on this feature, though, they will need to partner with that select group.

Feature Image Credit: Shutterstock

By Madeleine Streets

Sourced from FN

In News

Consumers Don’t Think Brands Should Stop Advertising During Coronavirus Pandemic

May 18, 2020 No Comments

By Jasmine Enberg

rands are pulling or pausing their ad spending as the COVID-19 crisis puts a strain on their businesses, but new research shows that consumers may not want them to stop advertising altogether.

A March 2020 survey by GlobalWebIndex asked internet users in 13 markets whether brands should continue advertising as normal. Nearly four in 10 US respondents ages 16 to 64 agreed, and a similar share (35%) were neutral, compared with 28% who disagreed. (The global results were on par with those in the US, at 37%, 36% and 27%, respectively.)

In another March 2020 survey from Kantar, just 8% of consumers in 30 countries thought that stopping advertising should be a priority for brands. But 77% of respondents said they wanted advertising to “talk about how the brand is helpful in the new everyday life,” and 75% said it should “inform about [the brand’s] efforts to face the situation.”

That suggests that while consumers don’t expect brands to abandon advertising, brands should rethink their strategies. Campaigns that were planned pre-pandemic may no longer be appropriate as consumers clamor for information about how the crisis is being handled and how they can stay safe. That includes information about how brands are responding to COVID-19.

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GlobalWebIndex’s research offered guidance on what those efforts should be. In the US, 80% of internet users agreed that brands should provide flexible payment terms, 70% said they should offer free services, and 66% said they should close nonessential stores. Another 59% of respondents agreed that brands should suspend normal factory production to help produce essentials.

Further evidence of consumer receptiveness to coronavirus-related brand messaging comes from advertising analytics company Ace Metrix. Research published in mid-March showed that 86% of US ad viewers were open to brands mentioning COVID-19 in their ads. More than four in 10 (42%) respondents said any mention was OK, which was roughly on par with the number who said it depended on the message or brand (44%).

Brands that continue to advertise during the pandemic may be concerned about their ads appearing against coronavirus-related content. Those fears are understandable, but they may be unwarranted. In a March 2020 survey by Integral Ad Science (IAS), 78% of US internet users said their view of a brand whose ad was adjacent to coronavirus coverage would be unchanged vs. just 16% who said they would have a less favorable opinion.

By Jasmine Enberg

Sourced from eMarketer