Marketing Focus: Who are your influencers?

Wednesday 13 September 2017

In Connect magazine, marketing expert Chris Journeaux discusses the current key issues facing the industry. This month, he delves into the world of influencer marketing and how valuable they can be, if picked correctly.

"This month I will be mostly teaching students the power and value of targeting influencers. These are the people most likely to carry with them the credibility you covert, with which you want to infuse your brand and product or service.

AJ Agrawal, a contributor to Forbes magazine, claims that ‘influencer marketing’ will explode this year, by which I assume he means it is going to be bigger than before. Nicolas Cole, equally excited, states in his article for Inc.com that “In 2017 Influencer Marketing is about to go through the roof.” It seems that both are really very enthusiastic about this trend, and also being forced to draw from a rather limiting pool of idioms to make this urgent point.

Influencer marketing is a kind of subtle endorsement of a product or service by someone whose view carries weight with a given, sought-after, target market. It is not that they state their love for it, but rather their public use or mention of it implies that they like it; it matches their persona. So by default, and as part of what makes them cool, you too can secure its influence for yourself. Think Charlie Puth drinking Lavazza Coffee in his video for Absolute, or Daniel Craig swapping Vodka Martini for Heineken in Skyfall.

Behind the rather too effusive language, though, there is some truth to this explosion; social media has created a whole new world of influencers: adolescents filming themselves for hours playing Call of Duty and boasting over a million YouTube followers; Instagrammers curating pictures to draw in a baying crowd of fans, all determined to shape their lives into something that apes their digital icons.

Pictured: "Social media has created a whole new world of influencers," says marketing expert Christopher Journeaux.

Like all good things, however, there is a dark side to this. In 2014 the Committees of Advertising Practice (CAP) published guidance to help vloggers better understand how and when the advertising rules apply to their vlogs. This means being open about advertising when the endorsement has been paid for, such that the product or service owner has control over the endorsement.

Whilst all these influencer marketing explosions are taking place, an increasingly savvy customer is wising up to the fact that they might be being hoodwinked into making a purchase. Does this mean that this erupting marketing tool is soon to die on the altar left bare by the Emperor’s New Clothes?

 Likely not, but it does suggest that we should return swiftly to a marketing world of integration. My contention is that there is no one magic bullet, much as enthusiastic marketers might tell you different, nothing so fiendishly clever that it will blow away all other tools and approaches to good marketing.

Let me expand this thought. What is the objective we seek with influencer marketing? Surely it is the same as it should be for all marketing communication: a combination of differentiation from the competition, and a clear statement as to the benefits and values espoused. It can be a powerful tool, it can act as the bridge between the customer and the tribal group they desire to join. The point is that brand association only has so much life in it, and it soon withers if the truth lies somewhat south of the reality sought. There is also danger in the association with the influencer. What if the person is not open about taking a cash incentive to endorse; worse, the person uses their Instagram account to espouse thoughts and views that are at odds with your brand values?

The answer is to apply the same rules you have been using, hopefully, for all your marketing: think strategically and methodically. What are your brand values? List them if no one has, and then search the many worlds of social media for influencers in your target segment(s) range. Be realistic about your influencers and their following. If your reach is Jersey then focus on those with followers of 1,000 and more and forget about the celebrity endorsement. Make contact with them individually and explain your brand story to them. If you have done your homework then their blog or vlog will match your brand approach. Be open about what you are doing and then integrate your influencer marketing with your wider planning.

These are not the dark arts - they are just good marketing."

You can read the digital edition of Connect here.