Under the influence

A recent article in The Times documented how big brands such as M&S and Boden have utilised micro-influencers to promote their products, due to the persuasiveness and authenticity of their viewpoints.

Over the past decade, we have witnessed the evolution of the social media landscape with influencer marketing emerging as one of the most powerful digital techniques. The ‘micro-influencer’ (people with a following between 2,000 and 100,000 followers) has become a buzzword of 2018 with brands embracing every day people with open arms in comparison to their celebrity counterparts. Why? To build a stronger perception of a product across a smaller and tighter following, rather than relying solely on mass financial endorsements.

Until recently, having a high profile celebrity endorse a brand was seen as the Holy Grail. However, it is clear that consumers have come to demand authenticity from their brands and partners. Take the epic Instagram fail by Scott Disick who accidentally copied and pasted what he was guided to write for a promotion for the weight loss supplement, Bootea. This cringeworthy blunder highlights that celebrities really just don’t do the trick anymore due to the risk of impacting a product’s credibility.

We at Richmond & Towers appreciate the importance of truly connecting with a brand and cherish a close bond with our influencers through a layered approach. By working with a combination of both micro and macro influencers, we can provide the perfect balance between control and authenticity. Here are three examples of the outcomes of our layered campaigns this year:

• We challenged 15 influencers to collect their household packaging to promote the benefits of corrugated cardboard for our client Beyond the Box
• For our client Great British Apples we challenged 25 macro and micro influencers to create an on the go snack using apples to raise awareness for British apples
• We partnered up with @London, and invited micro-influencers for a meal with our client Estrella Damm. The influencers were asked to create Instagram stories and upbeat videos that showcased live footage of the event

At R&T, we pride ourselves as having the knowledge and experience to get that killer hook for your campaign and execute it through the right influencers for your brand. We strongly believe that there is value in using both micro and macro influencers through a layered approach – and spreading your budget across multiple platforms. By paying those with a higher following, this facilitates a sense of control over the output of the published posts. On the other hand, establishing relationships with smaller-based influencers injects a layer of credibility amongst their close-knit followers.

Do you want to crack influencer marketing for your business? Get in touch with us at hello@rtc.london to find out more!