|
|
|
|
- Musk's X to let brands run ads next to certain creators
- TikTok Is Changing the Way You Discover Music. Meet the Young Creators Driving That
- What It Takes to Be a Successful Social-Media Influencer
- UK government to pay TikTok influencers to warn migrants against crossing the Channel
|
|
Great Reads
Why Biden couldn’t resist TikTok
In a strategic pivot, President Joe Biden's campaign has ventured onto TikTok, marking a significant shift in the political landscape concerning the platform. Despite enduring a tumultuous year of scrutiny over national security concerns linked to its Chinese parent company ByteDance, TikTok has rebounded, demonstrating the potency of its influence game in Washington. The move by Biden, accumulating over 6 million views for a Super Bowl-themed video, underscores TikTok's entrenched position in the digital sphere, even as bipartisan apprehensions linger.
TikTok's resurgence is attributed to increased lobbying efforts and forging connections with influential figures, amidst ongoing debates about its operational transparency and data security measures. This strategic embrace by the Biden campaign highlights TikTok's indispensable role in reaching younger demographics, crucial for the 2024 election, despite existing bans on government devices due to lingering security concerns. TikTok's narrative in Washington has shifted from a potential pariah to a pivotal player in the creator economy, complicating the administration's ongoing scrutiny of the platform.
The Rise Of FUNfluential By The Toy Insider With Deborah Stallings Stumm
FUNfluential, a new influencer marketing platform launched in January 2024, aims to transform how toy and family-oriented brands connect with digital content creators. Created by longtime toy industry expert Deborah Stallings Stumm and media leader Toy Insider, FUNfluential provides a streamlined, cost-effective solution to manage influencer campaigns. The platform features advanced search and filtering tools that allow brands to easily identify and partner with relevant, quality influencers that meet their campaign goals.
Rigorous vetting ensures authenticity. FUNfluential also seamlessly integrates influencer data and analytics from major platforms like Instagram and TikTok. Stumm created FUNfluential after recognizing brands' difficulties managing high volumes of influencer outreach. By centralizing and simplifying campaign management, FUNfluential makes influencer marketing more accessible. The platform will continue expanding its network while focusing on the toy/family niche and emphasizing technological innovation aligned with industry needs. Stumm aims for FUNfluential to become an essential connector between brands and creators.
|
|
Campaign Insights
Coach pairs virtual influencer with real celebs Lil Nas X, Camila Mendes
Luxury brand Coach has launched a new campaign called "Find Your Courage" featuring virtual influencer imma alongside celebrity ambassadors Lil Nas X, Camila Mendes, Youngji Lee, Kōki and Wu Jinyan. An extension of its "The Courage to Be Real" campaign, the videos see imma visit each star's unique virtual world to explore the complexities of identity and the evolving definition of "real." According to Coach CMO Sandeep Seth, imma represents "challenging the notion of what we consider ‘real’ today" - a perfect fit for a campaign about self-expression. Across five videos, imma joins Lil Nas X to "change the game," learns to take risks with Youngji Lee, break the mold with Kōki, evolve with Camila Mendes, and explore new possibilities with Wu Jinyan.
The campaign aims to blend virtual and real through gaming activations and experiential events. It taps into themes like authenticity and pushing boundaries that resonate with Gen Z audiences. The fusion of virtual influencer imma, produced years ago, with A-list brand ambassadors also signals how digital creators and celebrities intermingle in culture. In the end, "Find Your Courage" utilizes both classic celebrity marketing and experimental virtual influencers to inspire Coach's next-gen consumers. Just as the videos show imma bridging virtual and physical worlds, the campaign merges innovative digital frontiers with proven star power.
How Educational Insights uses livestreams to drive sales through TikTok
Toy brand Educational Insights runs frequent TikTok livestreams to drive sales, especially via TikTok Shop. Featuring influencers playing popular Educational Insights games and puzzles, the shows average 5,000-7,000 views, significantly lifting sales of featured products across retail partners. Since adopting livestreams in 2022, Educational Insights has grown its TikTok viewership from a couple hundred to over 32,000 at peak. The company now does 45 live shows monthly across its accounts. An in-house studio with dedicated sets and hosts resembles a children's television show.
Educational Insights believes live interactivity powerfully links brands with fans. Viewers actively engage through gifts and comments. Early data proves the model's sales effectiveness - with affiliate partnerships also benefiting. Success prompted TikTok itself to push livestreaming adoption. But retaining audience attention remains a hurdle many brands face. Educational Insights adjusts formatting and angles to stay entertaining, learning that showing influencers' faces drives more views than just featuring products. Though some companies have scaled back livestream investments, TikTok's endemic users and creators offer a primed audience. Educational Insights exemplifies best practices, using authenticity over polished production to turn livestreaming into more than a fleeting trend - making it a community-driven sales channel.
Alcohol influencers are raising the bar with innovative content and liquor brands are loving them
In the absence of regulations around social media advertising of alcohol in India, alcohol influencers are thriving on platforms like Instagram. As they create engaging content enlightening users, marketers are increasingly turning to influencers for brand associations. Influencers like Siddharth Krishnan (@alcogeek) and Nitin Tewari (@thebartrender) command loyal audiences in the niche space through innovative videos on cocktails, wine, and spirits. With the Indian alcobev market poised to hit $64 billion by 2030, young urban consumers eager to try new drinks represent prime targets. Since alcohol promotion is banned in traditional media, social platforms enable brands to showcase offerings and connect with key demographics. Sponsoring influencer content offers a legal gray area for marketing.
While some platforms and influencers enact age warnings, formal regulations remain absent. Influencers gain from brand perks like free products, event access, and exclusives to create unique content. But monetization options are limited without paid promotions. Still, brand alignments provide valuable exposure and cement authority. As the space evolves, experts believe active self-regulation around safe drinking and clear disclaimers will enable alcohol influencers to thrive. For now, the creative freedom and audience engagement offers brands and talent mutually beneficial partnerships.
UK government to pay TikTok influencers to warn migrants against crossing the Channel
The UK government is set to engage TikTok influencers in a campaign aimed at discouraging illegal immigration across the Channel, following a significant policy expansion. Home Secretary James Cleverly has endorsed this initiative as part of broader efforts to deter migrants from undertaking perilous journeys from regions including Albania, France, Belgium, and now extending to Iraq, Egypt, Vietnam, Turkey, and India. This strategy builds on a three-year history of social media ad campaigns targeting potential illegal immigrants with a budget allocation of £576,500 for the new target countries.
Influencers, including a diverse array of personalities from rappers to travel writers, will be compensated up to £5,000 each to disseminate the government's message. This move comes as Prime Minister Rishi Sunak prioritizes the cessation of migrant crossings, a phenomenon that has seen over 550,000 individuals crossing since 2015. The Home Office justifies the campaign as a countermeasure to the misinformation propagated by people smugglers on social media platforms, aiming to present a truthful picture of illegal Channel crossings and UK immigration policies.
The Influencer Effect: Unpacking YouTuber’s Impact on Video Game Sales
YouTube has enormously influenced gaming culture with far-reaching effects. Game companies offer early access to influencers for reviews, sometimes instead of gaming media outlets. 60% of YouTube gamers interact there over games. Influencer-created YouTube content now comprises a third of all videos, seen for 50 billion hours annually. This sheer volume has shaped how consumers absorb gaming content. Publishers can reach new audiences and boost sales via influencer marketing on trusted platforms like YouTube.
The model has worked across industries, even merging gaming and gambling as online casinos combine game principles with chance. Affiliate links allow influencers to earn from linked sales too. Influencer marketing advantages include: Increased brand awareness as word travels fast to devoted follower bases Direct audience engagement, unlike impersonal ads Cost savings compared to conventional advertising Niche gaming influencers may emerge to target specific demographics for precise ad targeting. Standouts like PewDiePie and Markiplier showcase quality content and enormous crossover appeal. The interplay between influencers and gaming will keep evolving the industry. Harnessing influencer power helps publishers stay ahead - raising game popularity, reaching new consumers, and adapting to trends.
Most influencers fail to admit to advertising, EU study shows
A European Union report reveals a concerning trend among social media influencers: 80% fail to disclose sponsored content, violating advertising disclosure laws. This study scrutinized 576 influencers, finding that while 97% engaged in sponsored content, only a fifth properly identified their posts as advertisements. Moreover, the investigation highlighted that some influencers promote potentially harmful activities, including excessive alcohol consumption, dubious medical treatments, and risky financial advice.
Despite existing regulations requiring transparent disclosure of paid promotions, enforcement remains a challenge, leaving consumers to discern the credibility and motivations behind influencer endorsements. The European Commission plans to conduct a more detailed investigation into 358 influencers from the study, signaling potential regulatory actions to address these transparency issues. This situation underscores the need for stronger oversight and consumer awareness in the digital marketplace.
|
|
Interesting People
Insights From Mae Karwowski, CEO Of Obviously: Inside Influencer Marketing
Mae Karwowski, CEO of New York-based influencer marketing agency Obviously, has pioneered the technology and strategies behind one of the industry's leading platforms. Founded in 2014, Obviously builds customized influencer solutions for major brands while also empowering creators. Karwowski recognized social media's growing cultural impact and the potential for brands to engage multitudes of nano and micro-influencers for authentic, scalable campaigns. Obviously leverages proprietary analytics to connect clients with creators who genuinely fit their brand. Measuring success depends on clients’ goals - some prioritize revenue, others market dominance.
Obviously champions multicultural inclusion rather than segregation in influencer marketing. Karwowski believes the creator industry should lead in diversity and hopes the broader marketing world catches up. The self-made entrepreneur aims to help creators turn their passions into sustainable careers. She anticipates they will launch innovative businesses and dictate future trends. Obviously will continue pushing boundaries in live streaming and data to elevate experiences. Karwowski is optimistic about Obviously’s path in enabling brands through technology while empowering the creator economy.
Older Fashion Influencers Are Making Their Mark On Social Media
Older women are changing expectations of "women of a certain age" online by sharing fashion, beauty, and life advice as social media influencers. 59-year-old Grece Ghanem boasts 1.6 million Instagram followers flaunting confidence in oversized sweaters or bikinis. 70-year-old Lyn Slator inspires hundreds of thousands mixing eclectic style and cultural observations. In Melbourne, creative friends Ginger and Carman built 350k+ TikTok fans as silver-haired fashion muses. Videos capture their adventurous, almost rebelliously joyful approach to aging. They aim to inspire women struggling to see themselves in younger influencers.
63-year-old Gym Tan dispenses timeless beauty and lifestyle guidance to ageless effect. These digital dames provide empowering role models for older women while dispelling stigma around getting older for younger viewers. Accounts like @brunchwithbabs and @excusemygrandma impart cross-generational wisdom. Ginger and Carman believe "wisdom" lets older creators "go with our gut feeling" and avoid pressure young people feel to constantly post. Embracing authenticity suits their age bracket. Still, courage remains essential to connect across digital spheres regardless of demographic. By flaunting personal style and spirit, older influencers are bridging social media's generation gap. Their confidence expands what it means to age both online and off.
The Sidemen Story review | An honest look at the boys behind the videos
Khaby Lame, renowned as TikTok's most followed influencer, is poised to make his acting debut in an international spy comedy titled "00Khaby." In this film, Lame will portray a food deliveryman who becomes an unlikely recruit for the CIA, embarking on a mission that entails evading arms traffickers, stealing DNA samples, and thwarting World War III with his distinctive blend of cunning, luck, and optimism. Lame, a Senegalese-born Italian content creator, has expressed his commitment to delving into acting and English studies to excel in his role, alongside undertaking physical training to perform his own action scenes.
The film, produced by Marco Belardi and penned by Nicola Guaglianone and Menotti, promises a mix of action and comedy. Additionally, Lame is set to receive acting guidance from Will Smith, who is rumored to have a cameo in the film. Lame's journey from viral TikTok skits to his upcoming film role highlights his versatile talent and expanding influence beyond social media.
Comedian Turned Social Media Star Rises To Success With Viral Videos
Comedian and actor Stephen Hart has leveraged viral sketch comedy videos on TikTok and Instagram to build a full-time career as an influencer. Initially moving to LA to pursue acting, Hart started posting short, humorous videos in 2020 as a creative outlet while auditioning.
Early viral hits included a parody of the Nickelodeon show "Drake & Josh." After collaborating with his first brand, Hart realized the potential to make a living as a creator. He mainly posts POVs, vignettes, and sketches, focusing increasingly on original characters.
Hart faces challenges like oversaturation, noting the importance of staying grounded in his comedic motivations versus chasing trends. Maintaining creative integrity amid pressure to adapt one's content for growth also poses difficulties. However, Hart encourages aspiring creators to persevere, believing the right audience will eventually connect with authentic content.
Offering advice to others pursuing creative careers, Hart stresses being true to oneself above all else. He notes that successful creators have outgoing personalities making viewers feel like a friend. Hart believes simply sharing one's genuine personality leads to prosperity as an influencer.
|
|
Industry News
Musk's X to let brands run ads next to certain creators
X (formerly Twitter) announced on Monday it will allow advertisers to run video ads alongside specific creators' content. This move could help brands avoid exposure next to undesirable posts on the platform where content policies have loosened under CEO Elon Musk. Many advertisers grew wary of X after the acquisition, fearing brand safety issues. Musk has aggressively lashed out when brands pause spending.
The new creator-targeted ads launching this month let advertisers cherry pick videos on home timelines and profiles to promote their brand beside. X says it will later enable ads only on creator profiles themselves, eliminating the risk of adjacency to unwanted material. The capability comes after Musk relied heavily on influencers and loyal creators to prevent his site's advertising exodus from worsening. Allowing brands to target their ads specifically alongside creators offers a compromise ensuring sponsored content appears in brand safe environments. As X struggles to lure back advertisers amid chaotic changes under Musk, tailored creator partnerships give brands desired controls to re-engage lucrative young demographics.
Managing Distributed Fanbases: Glystn Consolidates Cross-Platform Creator Communities
Glystn aims to help creators manage increasingly large, fragmented online audiences across social platforms. Integrating with major site APIs, it leverages AI to extract insights from community activity - consolidating cross-platform data into actionable feedback. Unlike generalized listening tools, Glystn focuses squarely on serving creators. It decodes nuanced audience behaviors and interests, suggesting potential content directions based on historical engagement data. As audiences scale up, founder Ethan Fassett believes this unlocks new creative possibilities. Glystn surfaces the most important fan conversations so creators can efficiently respond with native replies. It identifies sponsorship alignment, finds untapped brand partnerships, and gets ahead of misinformation during controversies.
Top tech creator MKBHD now checks Glystn multiple times a week to separate signal from noise on community resonance toward video topics and products. Agencies managing creators also find such audience insights invaluable. Robust infrastructure draws from founders' over 40 years combined experience building global data systems. Meticulous testing and validation ensures Glystn scales up reliably as more creators adopt the platform. Longer-term, Glystn will uncover deeper intelligence on user bases and intersections between creator groups. Fassett believes AI can digest exponentially more data to reveal richer preferences and trends among fans. It offers just an initial glimpse into quantified audience value.
Join Brands: Aligning Brands And Micro/Nano-Influencers For UGC At Scale
Join Brands bridges the gap between brands seeking authentic user-generated content (UGC) and creators eager to produce it. Launched just two years ago, the platform lets brands easily tap targeted nano and micro-influencers relevant to their industry. To date, Join Brands has paid out over $3 million to members and coordinated more than 62,000 UGC and influencer jobs. Top earning creators make upwards of $10,000 monthly. Meanwhile, brands access visual assets at a fraction of typical production costs. Initially a marketplace for ecommerce UGC, Join Brands now spans influence across social platforms - consolidating influencer management.
A built-in community of over 100,000 creators streamlines identifying and collaborating with the right talent. Effective influencers approach partnerships professionally - treating it as a potential full-time job. They focus on honing craft and clearly communicating with brands to meet campaign goals. Building robust portfolios proves their capabilities and worth. A new Recurring Creators feature will allow brands to retain nano-influencers on an ongoing basis. Multiple such deals can significantly boost earnings while multiplying touchpoints. Long-term, Join Brands aims to provide definitive ROI tracking. For now, strengthening ties between brands and grassroots creators is the priority. Making large-scale nano-influencer marketing seamless continues opening opportunities on both sides.
How AI-powered ‘digital humans’ could be the next big thing to shake up the influencer industry - Prolific North
AI-powered "digital humans" like DJ Dex could disrupt the influencer industry. Developed by Sum Vivas, Dex interacts like Amazon's Alexa, remixes songs, and has performed at major fashion events - earning famous fans without traditional influencer limitations. As influencer marketing balloons into a $24 billion industry increasingly utilizing AI, digital humans offer reliable branding devoid of controversy. They enable cheaper, faster content production without logistical hassles. BMW and Lil Miquela recently collaborated, forecasting a shift to virtual talent.
But the technology also complements human skills instead of replacing them. Sum Vivas co-founder Denise Harris argues digital humans, and the tools around them, will create jobs across industries from motion capture to digital fashion. They provide new opportunities, and her company actively works with universities on related training. For their part, influencers Sammy Gray and Courtney Reynolds aren't worried about competition from AI. If anything, digital advancements will help enhance their comedy content. Focusing on authenticity, they've scored major brand deals and over 4 million followers.
TikTok Is Changing the Way You Discover Music. Meet the Young Creators Driving That
TikTok is transforming how music is discovered thanks to young, creative artists and producers leveraging the platform. Jazz-pop artist Laufey and bedroom producer Chinchilla illustrate TikTok's influence - catapulting careers from obscurity to Grammy stages and Billboard chart-toppers. TikTok provides reach and resonance unmatched by traditional industry gatekeepers. Its viral nature gives even niche sounds global fans. The platform birthed stars like Lil Nas X who crushed genre barriers. TikTok also complements streaming's mood-based playlists by spotlighting feelings over defined genres.
Importantly, TikTok offers creators control. Artists share behind-the-scenes production, solicit feedback, and interact with supporters. The collaborative duet tool fuels co-creation between talent and fans. And for marginalized voices the industry overlooks, TikTok enables self-driven success. Growth follows as artists translate digital intimacy to real-world spaces. Sharing personality and creative process forges genuine social bonds before live shows. Young talent build confidence transitioning to stages where TikTok spirit thrives. TikTok's music revolution has only just begun as virtual relationships manifest new real-world dynamics. Expect more dismantled barriers between artists and audiences as internet culture reshapes the concert experience.
|
|
Influence Weekly Reaches over 24,000 Subscribers Each week
🌟Stand out in the influencer marketing crowd
Looking to make a splash in the influencer marketing space? Our weekly newsletter is the perfect platform to get your brand in front of thousands of industry professionals. From e-commerce brands to agencies to marketers, our audience is highly engaged and eager to learn about the latest news and best practices in the space.
2024 Sponsorship Slots now available
Check Out Our Media Kit
|
|
Registration Required
Great Paywalled Content
In a booming influencer economy, creators seek standardization for payment terms - Digiday
As influencer marketing booms into a $250 billion industry projected to soon hit $480 billion, creators are pushing for standardized and timely payment terms. Despite being marketing must-haves, inconsistent pay schedules still plague influencers. Creators report having to chase down late brand and agency payments for months, disrupting income. In response, they're asking for deposits upfront, enacting late fees, and shortening payment windows from 60 days down to 10-15 days post-campaign.
But brands continue to pay late, forcing creators to advocate for themselves in an "unregulated" industry. Per recent surveys, most creators have faced late payments, causing many to stop working with certain brands altogether due to feeling undervalued. With newcomers flooding the space, education around business practices also lags. Groups like the Creators Guild of America have formed to strengthen collective bargaining power and secure better deals. State laws establishing protections for freelancers further aim to ensure timely payment.
What It Takes to Be a Successful Social-Media Influencer - WSJ
Married couple Ally and Ricardo Noriega have turned her part-time social media hobby into a full-time business earning them a "low six-figure" annual income. But the tradeoff is 80-100 hour workweeks creating a constant pipeline of engaging lifestyle content for Ally's 100k+ Instagram followers. After both were laid off from their jobs, the couple doubled down on building Ally's influencer brand “Allysoninwonderland.” Ricardo handles administrative tasks so Ally can focus solely on content production. The pandemic unexpectedly fueled growth as housebound followers consumed her fashion and beauty recommendations. Still, competition is fierce in the expanding creator economy.
Ally must continually produce original content to retain her audience. She monetizes through sponsored posts and affiliate commissions from recommended products. But she's at the mercy of changing social platform algorithms that dictate content visibility. So the Noriegas have diversified revenue streams, including a subscriber clothing rental service and licensed merchandise. Local partnerships also help hedge against social platforms "turning off the lights" on influencers at any time. It's exhausting work building an influencer business, but economic independence and a career centered around creative expression resonates with many. As Ally says, "One of the things I love about what I do is connecting with people."
Jellysmack President Sean Atkins Leaving Following Recent Layoffs - Insider
Sean Atkins is stepping down as president of Jellysmack, a company specializing in creator monetization, effective next Friday. Atkins, who joined Jellysmack in September 2021 after an advisory role, exits following the company's decision to lay off 30 employees due to challenges in the digital advertising market. Stefanie Schwartz, Jellysmack's Chief Business Officer, will assume expanded duties as head of Jellysmack Entertainment.
Schwartz's experience in M&A, digital strategy, and previous roles at Viacom positions her to lead the company forward. Atkins' departure is noted just months after Jellysmack addressed monetization issues across platforms with layoffs, attributed to digital ad market volatility and decreased long-form content distribution. Jellysmack, founded in 2016, provides various services to creators, including brand-building, monetization contracts, and equity deals, and has collaborated with prominent internet creators like MrBeast and PewDiePie.
The 2024 Super Bowl Embraced Influencers And Content Creators - Rolling Stone
The Super Bowl LXIII in Las Vegas not only highlighted the NFL's attempt to captivate a younger audience but also showcased the burgeoning influence of content creators in mainstream events. This collaboration between the NFL and YouTube, featuring influencers like Pierson Wodzynski and Donald De La Haye (Deestroying), aims to bridge the generational viewership gap. Wodzynski's presence in a Sunday Ticket Super Bowl commercial and interactions with YouTube CEO Neal Mohan underscore the strategic partnership's efforts to leverage creators' reach among younger demographics.
Meanwhile, De La Haye's journey from college athlete to a prominent YouTube personality illustrates the evolving relationship between traditional sports institutions and digital content creators. The event's atmosphere, marked by celebrity and influencer sightings, reflected the shifting dynamics in entertainment and sports marketing, emphasizing the creators' growing role in drawing younger viewers to traditional sporting events like the Super Bowl.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
