“People influence people. Nothing influences people more than a recommendation from a trusted friend. A trusted referral influences people more than the best broadcast message. A trusted referral is the Holy Grail of advertising.” – Mark Zuckerberg
The goal of any marketing campaign is to boost brand awareness, increase lead generation, and drive sales. But to do this, a brand needs to establish a relationship with their target audience and inspire trust among them. This is often easier said than done, primarily if you’re relying on traditional marketing strategies.
That’s why influencer marketing has blossomed over the past few years.
Regardless of how big their follower base is, influencers work hard to build a trusting relationship with their fans. And brands can take advantage of this.
Take a look at just a few examples of brands partnering up with influencers and making the most of their mutually-beneficial relationships.
Adidas
Renowned influencers get hundreds of daily offers to collaborate with large and small brands alike. So, it can be difficult for a business to contact their desired influencer and start working together.
That’s why Adidas took an innovative approach to influencer management. Instead of reaching out to established influencers, the brand helped to create its own.
By establishing the “Tango Squad,” Adidas invited its fans to join their micro-influencer FC. The fans would work as brand advocates; they’d wear the latest Adidas gear, join events, get access to exclusive content, and grow their follower base, promoting Adidas and boosting its lead generation efforts.
Nike
Nike is one of the brands that take influencer marketing very seriously. Every influencer is carefully selected to ensure that they’re a good fit for Nike’s brand persona and its versatile consumers.
The company partnered up with several vastly different influencers and allowed them to create content that makes sense for their niche and followers.
One of the more interesting examples was a partnership with the YouTube channel “What’s Inside?”. The creators posted a video of cutting Nike AirMax VAPORMAX in half. This campaign was hugely successful precisely because the creators were carefully selected for their unique content and high engagement levels, and because they were allowed to present the product in their original way.
Gucci
Luxury brands such as Gucci aren’t typically known for having “real” people in their marketing campaigns. The models in their ads are usually nothing short of perfect – full lips, bright smiles, symmetrical faces, etc.
However, one of Gucci’s most successful campaigns was when the brand partnered with “real” women and placed emphasis on their stunning imperfections through mesmerizing fashion photography and videography. The advertising became more relatable, and Gucci’s engagement levels went through the roof.
Chanel
Chanel’s Instagram game is terrific, and their Instagram influencer marketing strategy even more so. The brand frequently collaborates with social media influencers to build excitement for its upcoming products and engage with audiences.
In one of the campaigns, Instagrammers such as Jessica Mercedes Kirschner were invited to flower fields by French Grasse for iconic fashion photography that would showcase that Chanel uses real flowers for its No. 5 perfume.
Sephora
Sephora’s #SephoraSquad campaign is among some of the most authentic ones. The influencers in the campaign are diverse, unique, and each one of them has their own approach to promoting Sephora.
With such a wide array of YouTubers and Instagrammers, Sephora can personalize its products to specific consumers and connect with a much broader audience.
Conclusion
Influencer marketing can seem challenging, but once a brand dips its toes in these waters, it becomes clear just how beneficial a well-thought-out influencer strategy is.
Contact Elements Productions if you need assistance with Influencer Management and high-quality fashion photography and videography.