Influence(za) Marketing: the current fever in social media?

When Kung Fu came into our lives, it re-defined the very idea of a hero. It was no longer necessary to be immortal with unique powers, you could even be ‘the’ big fat panda who knew nothing about Kung Fu and yet be the ultimate dragon warrior.

In a way, Po probably influenced everybody’s idea of a hero. Apart from clichéd typical heroes, there was now, room for unconventional ones as well.

Tomorrow, if Po talked about bravery and martial arts, a viewer would take his word, considering the credible source. That’s what influencer marketing is all about.

Steering a consumer/user/viewer with the help of a credible influencer towards a decision in the marketer’s favour, without coercion - this form of marketing comprises a significant part of social media marketing, as it helps amplify the reach multifold.

Moreover, it helps the brand build positive associations with influencers, which then creates a positive image amongst consumers, especially, if it’s an influencer they look up to.

‘If XYZ was part of this campaign, it must be good for sure’ is the typical liner one would hear if popular influencers were part of campaigns.

It’s like getting ‘Homer Simpson' to talk about the latest donut. Who wouldn’t buy it?

A ride of your life

Influencers need not be celebrities. This is where the catch is. Just as Po from Kung Fu Panda is not your typical hero; influencers can be defined differently as well. They could range from celebrities, bloggers, YouTubers, to just regular consumers.

When Ola wanted to introduce a new fleet of cars in the PRIME category, a few select customers were in for a surprise when Narain Karthikeyan came to receive them as their designated driver.  The customers were in for a ride of their lives.

Now in the case of this campaign, they added a twist to an otherwise daily monotonous routine. Using a celebrity for an influencer created the right impact, for the contradiction of seeing a big shot carrying out a daily activity brought out the punch for this campaign.

None of those lucky consumers are going to ever forget this ride!

The campaign continued with its second round with Milind Soman as the next influencer.

A journey, in style

GAP after setting foot in Delhi, was all set to launch its second store in Bengaluru.  The idea was to let the Bengalorens know about the arrival of an ultimate brand – GAP.

They got bloggers to model in their outfits and share the news of the arrival of GAP in Bengaluru. Now, getting bloggers to carry out a campaign is not a novel concept anymore. In fact, now brands try to integrate blogger in every social media activity.

But GAP got two things right, one, the brand didn’t restrict themselves only to Fashion bloggers ( Photography, illustrators, Instagrammers were involved too) and these very bloggers were also locally accessible in nature.

Thus, the relatability quotient with the users/viewers/ fans was high, which led to more people knowing about the store’s opening.

UN's ambassadors 

For World Humanitarian Day, when the UN decided to allow social media users to donate their feeds, they didn’t realise they were creating influencers as they went ahead.

Regular social media users who wished to make a difference became part of the campaign and in turn, influenced their family/peers/ acquaintances.

There were a few celebrities who participated but it is safe to say, the entire show was pulled off by regular social media users, who wished to do something virtually  even though they couldn’t be present physically.

Parting thoughts 

From brand ambassadors to online influencers - marketing now involves connecting and not selling. A reliable influencer can change the digital pathway for a brand and let its impact echo across platforms.

This is not to say, influencer marketing is foolproof. Eventually it all boils down to the the basics – the concept of the campaign. If your dress is fantastic for the party, people are going to talk about it anyway; you don’t need anybody else to talk for you.