Photo by Ali Pazani on Unsplash
Co-written by Leah Peat and Bridget Kuglin
L: If you know me, you know that I consider myself to be very persuasive in my tiny “sphere of influence”…
…which is basically at home with my kids, on a text chain with my mom’s side of the family, and with the women in my office who are also moms and for some reason think I’m cool...like I said, it’s a very tiny sphere.
One time, no less than FOUR of my coworkers (I’m including myself in this number) bought the most perfect jeans ever made after I convinced them that the stretchy waistband holds everything in without looking like maternity pants (it’s true!). Again...tiny sphere. So when I got called out for BEING influenced, I was taken aback. I’m in marketing! I know better. And the worst part is, I got influenced without even realizing it.
Here’s how it went down.
I’m rocking this cute turtleneck with black and white stripes and rainbow accents on the wrists.
My nanny (who is a wonderful human and also 27 which makes her a true millennial): “Cute sweater!”
Me: “Thanks, I bought it off INSTAGRAM.”
Nanny: (Looks at me with pity, a la every teenage girl whose mom is trying to wear something they can’t pull off.) “Ohhhh, did you get … influenced?”
Me: “WHAT?! No! I’m in marketing!! I don’t get influenced! I influence others!!”
Later, at work, I started thinking of the impact of her statement and I realized two things.
She was right. I DID get influenced. I saw all these hip / real women wearing the sweater and thought, “I could wear that! I could be hip!” And I bought it. Instantly.
The way she said it sounded like getting influenced was something you shouldn’t admit happened...ever. If she thinks influencers are on the way out, do other millennials?
The strategic part of my brain started firing off questions:
Have influencers become passe? Do millenials, or other generations for that matter, no longer believe influencers when they tout a product?
So, I asked one of our actual Creative Strategists, Bridget Kuglin. Here’s what she had to say about influencers in 2020 and whether or not they’re still relevant to brands, big and small.
B:
Have influencers become passe?
It’s not really about influencers becoming “passe”—it’s more about shoppers becoming more savvy. As marketing continues to saturate our lives, eeking its way into every crack and crevice, shoppers that have grown up with this level of advertising more rapidly become wise to it, and therefore, numb to it. They consequently learn to see through it for what it is: a pitch.
Now, if we look closely at why influencers are (were?) so effective in the first place, we see a major theme within Millennial values—A-U-T-H-E-N-T-I-C-I-T-Y. Influencers were originally effective because they began organically.
It really was a trusted friend recommending a pair of miracle jeans. (Even if that trusted friend happened to be a blogger with <10K followers).
They had nothing to gain from it besides the self-satisfaction that comes from getting a little more clout within their “tiny sphere”. As brands caught on to this social trend, they realized they could capitalize on the authentic trust that existed between these digital friend groups.
And… that’s where it went downhill. When big brands got involved, Authenticity was pushed aside to make room for big important things like Brand Voice(!), Legal Disclaimers(!), and SEO Standards(!). By quieting influencers’ true voices, a big red flag went up, specifically for Millennials and Gen Z shoppers. Ultimately, what began as a friend sharing their tips became what an influencer really is today… a brand spokesperson. (If you read that word and didn’t shudder, you’re probably not a Millennial.)
Is there a brand that’s using influencers correctly? If so, what are they doing right?
Many brands are doing it right. Just ask your nanny.
To find brands that are working with influencers in the right way, we typically look at small to mid-size brands. They typically don’t require the same strict filters an influencer must speak through—the same filters that can cause an influencers voice to sound “produced”. Instead, these brand influencers have more freedom to communicate with their authentic voices and there is not (yet) an algorithm that can replicate that.
One example is Merrell, who is constantly creating amazing and authentic content; beautiful print journals, video, social, and more. They’ve partnered with independent makers like Grand Rapids artist and Woosah brand creator, Erica Lang. They also have a quality list of brand ambassadors whose content aligns with their brand’s values. For a mid-size brand, this is on pointe.
The second thing influencers must do to gain clout within their sphere is to SERVE 👏 THEM👏.
Not with discounts and promo codes, but with information that is useful in their daily lives. Help them, teach them or even entertain them. If, (and only if) there is a natural connection to the brand’s service or product, they can *casually* mention it. But the minute the brand’s objective (to sell) becomes more important than the shopper’s need (information that serves them), the jig is up and that influencer loses all trust.
So... Have YOU been influenced recently? *Hair flip*
Of course! But then I think about who I’ve been influenced by… my office / real life friend told me about these miracle mom jeans and I immediately bought some (ok, three pairs). Why wouldn’t I? She had nothing to gain from it besides additional clout as our resident fashionista and online shopping guru. The same can be said for Zenni eyeglasses. A good friend recommended and I immediately purchased. The difference here between these influencers and the like of James Charles is that they reached me through the one channel that is still untouched by marketers, Word Of Mouth.
So...what’s your prediction for this new decade we’re IN? How can brands attract and stay relevant to shoppers as they become savvier and savvier?
ONE | Loosen the leash.
If you want your brand’s influencers to succeed, you need to allow them, scratch that, encourage them to use their true voices. Give them the tools to create content that reflects their point of view. Support them in their creative endeavors. They likely became an influencer based on their unique perspective, so figure out how you can help them amplify that perspective—rather than reshape it to match your brand’s.
TWO | Visual assets are the new store windows.
Your digital media is today’s version of visual merchandising. Just as store windows entice shoppers to come inside, your digital presence (should) work the same way. Shoppers want to be inspired and they seek out content that will do so. Help your influencers up their visual game through smart phone photography workshops and video editing tools.
THREE | Re-invent referral programs.
The core of this concept is solid and leverages the Word of Mouth channel as a means to promote the product or service’s qualities. However, current programs lose that selfless aspect once incentives are involved. So how can brands facilitate, support, and amplify these organic conversations between office-mates and other IRL relationships in a way that maintains their authentic voice and selflessness (aka, nothing to gain besides “clout”)? Figure that out and you’ll have developed the next evolution of marketing.
All in all, influencers have a LOT to contribute in the world of brand marketing. But the biggest successes come when brands let go of the reins enough for these authentic voices to truly serve their highest-quality customers.