Why Influencers Matter
Over the years, we have watched social media evolve, and so many new channels developed. Consistently amongst all platforms are influencers. One might ask, what is an influencer? An influencer is an individual with the power to affect the buying habits or quantifiable actions of others by uploading some form of original (sponsored) content to social media platforms. Influencers should not be confused with popular social media users, and all celebrities should not be assumed to be influencers solely because they are famous. There are five types of influencers; celebrity, macro-, micro-, professional, and nano-. Brands are building marketing budgets to include partnerships with influencers, and about 80% of marketers use influencer marketing today. Two blocks that have stood out are Cardi B with Reebok and Beyoncé with Adidas.
There are many benefits when brands use influencers to assist in marketing strategies. Some of these benefits are:
- Assists in effectively reaching the target audience
- Provides value to the audience
- Will build trust
- Increase brand awareness
- Enrich content strategy
In addition to these benefits, the biggest is the ROI brands see from investing in these relationships. Often times this form of marketing offers a reduction in overall marketing costs.
Cardi B x Reebok
In 2018 Cardi B signed a partnership deal with Reebok to launch a sneaker line. Historically, Reebok is the first athletic brand to partner with hip-hop artists. Other partnerships have been with Jay-Z, Missy Elliott, and Queen Latifah, to name a few. This partnership developed while Cardi B’s career was just taking off. As you can see in the commercial, she used her nails to tie the Reebok sneaker. Reebok created a commercial that incorporated who Cardi B was personally. She is known for have long, creative nails and has even helped her nail tech grow into a recognized nail professional in the industry.
Beyonce x Adidas
Another major partnership I wanted to highlight is Beyonce and Adidas. In 2020 Beyonce signed a deal for the Ivy Park activewear collection. This deal came as a result of Beyonce cutting ties with Topshop due to sexual assault allegations. This is an obvious example of how brand reputations can be tarnished and the ripple effect. At the time of the deal, it was projected that Beyonce’s line would surpass the growth of Kanye West’s Yeezy line earning $1.5 billion in 2019. This strategic partnership was developed to broaden Adidas’ target audience and monetize from having a celebrity face. Unlike many other influencer partnerships, Beyonce is the sole owner of Ivy Park. Aside from Beyonce and Kanye West, Adidas has partnered with athletes across the world and various entertainers.
As shown in the posts, Beyoncé and a model are wearing an outfit from the Ivy Park line and . Consumers like to see influencers and people that look like them in the products they are interested in. This is an endorsement and motivates consumers to share with others and plan to purchase.
Both Cardi B and Beyoncé have introduced a new audience to these brands. Aside from the Instagram follower count, 82.7 million and 165 million, respectively, each has been able to develop content that is authentic to the individuals they are and providing consumers the opportunity to be apart of their projects. When brands include influencers in their marketing strategies, it offers opportunities for deeper storytelling. Impactful storytelling is a strategic way to reach consumers emotionally, which leads to purchasing from the brand. Influencer generates content also lasts longer. Followers will continually share the same content over a span of days or weeks. By having this content constantly viewed it increased the chance of gaining new customer.
