Influencer marketing is no longer about posting an ad - it gets creative!

The influencer marketing landscape has grown by leaps and bounds in recent years. Today, trust is the cornerstone of effective influencer marketing, not just in the strategy and relationship marketers have with influencers but also in the content and impact they create through their messaging. It emphasises the 'how' and 'who.' 

As per a report, the global influencer market was worth $13.3 billion in 2021 and is estimated to reach 109.37 billion USD by 2028, growing at a 35.12% CAGR. As the influencer industry is booming, brands are becoming more aware of the value of authentic and truthful content when collaborating with influencers.

Rewriting the marketing script through unique storytelling

One of the most rewarding opportunities in influencer marketing lies in being more creative with how a brand works with influencers. Consumers are too savvy and jaded by product mentions and recommendations. They are persuaded by the influencers they follow because they trust and relate to them and are intrigued by them and their life in some way. Hence, brands can collaborate with niche influencers to create engaging content and campaigns encapsulating their identity and messaging to grab consumers' attention. Influencer marketing is rewriting the marketing script and empowering brands to stand out via influencers/creators.

The key to engaging with people through influencer marketing isn't simply working with the right influencers; it's also in the narrative/storytelling that influencers can deliver. A brand's viewpoints and personality have to be aligned with the messaging.

During the lockdown, MakeMyTrip created a wonderful #MyIndia campaign to satiate the people’s wanderlust. The brand created a short IGTV video featuring seven of the most prominent travel and lifestyle influencers. It urged the featured creators to repost the IGTV post on their stories and ask their respective audiences, "How they would not like the upcoming years to be like 2020" as part of their new year's resolution.

The campaign went live on New Year’s Eve. With the right timing, the brand's audience accepted the video trend well. Reposting the IGTV video on the creator's stories contributed to the post receiving over 11 million impressions on Instagram. That is what people relate to - no hard pitch, product description, or price - just a storyline, passion, and emotion.

Moment marketing X Meme marketing 

Marketing is all about agility, and moment marketing is the apex of agile marketing. It can help marketers reach out to a larger segment of customers at once and build stronger long-term relationships. The key to doing it right is to be faithful to the brand's identity, ethos, and purpose while promoting it at the right time.

On the other hand, the potential of meme marketing is immense, as people instantaneously relate to and enjoy the humour in memes. Millennials and Generation Z prefer subtle advertising to overt advertising. Moment marketing combined with meme marketing can redefine how brands market themselves. Brands' integration of memes to wish Mr Amitabh Bachchan on his 80th birthday is a classic example of hitting a six at the right moment with relevant messaging.

Another significant illustration of moment marketing is Amul's tribute to 'Madam President,' Droupadi Murmu, with a signature doodle. The social media post read, "Welcoming, Madam President!" with a doodle of the 64-year-old standing in front of Rashtrapati Bhavan in Delhi with folded hands. The doodle's text read: "MurMuther India! Top position in butters". The brand's initiative gained the attention of many.

Closing Thoughts

Influencer marketing offers one of the most efficient ways to connect with the target demographic. It fosters people who are not simply brand ambassadors but also brand creators. Brands have begun to notice the impact it can have and are rooting for it to contribute to their growth. It is on the verge of developing game-changing marketing opportunities while becoming more innovative in its approach to creating an audience-first connection and initiating and sustaining engagements. 

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