A tactic that is becoming more and more popular for brands is partnering with influencers in PR campaigns. From small local businesses to the biggest international brands, the use of bloggers, Internet celebrities and brand ambassadors continues to become more widespread. Using influencers or ambassadors in a campaign works for many reasons, and putting together the right person with the right message can really help reach your target audience and create a message that resonates. But why does this tactic work so well?
4 Ways Influencers Can Help Boost Your Brand
Influencers breed trust.
We all have that one blogger/YouTube star/Instagrammer that we follow religiously. While social media influencers with a large following fit the definition of “famous,” they aren’t seen like celebrities. It’s almost hard to believe that Justin Bieber and Beyoncé are real people when all we see of them is from the media, where they look poised and rehearsed. Social media influencers are much more raw and down to earth – they almost feel like a best friend that has the same interests as you and someone you can trust. Influencers’ fans like them and trust them, which can be incredibly powerful when the influencer is promoting your brand or product.
They create engaging content.
Influencers are masters at communicating and spitting out awesome content, and partnering with them gives you fresh and engaging content to work with. When influencers share videos, blog posts or social images about your brand, that content can then be re-shared and used by your brand. Also, their content plus your content equals even more eyes on your brand’s campaign.
Influencers can drive traffic and create leads.
Partnering with social influencers who have a large, engaged community usually leads to more visits to your brand’s social channels and website, bringing more fans – and potential customers – into your own community.
Their brand can work for your brand.
Influencers have built up their own brand persona. Maybe they are known for being funny, outrageous, health-focused, a foodie, etc. If you can find and partner with influencers whose tone and image match well with your brand, then your campaign message will feel like a natural fit and resonate well with the audience.
A great example of this is Barilla’s recent campaign, which combines key influencers with fun and engaging content in support of the brand message.
Stirring Up a Passion for Pasta
Barilla, the international Italian pasta company, launched a new campaign called “While the Water Boils.” In the midst of no-carb and gluten-free diet trends, this campaign seeks to revive people’s Passion for Pasta.
Barilla partnered with YouTube/social media star Hannah Hart, who became famous among millennials from her YouTube cooking series “My Drunk Kitchen.” For the campaign, Hannah talks to different celebrities such as Bill Nye the Science Guy and fashion icon Rachel Zoe during the time it takes to boil water – about 5 minutes.
Their conversations focus on each celebrity’s passions – Rachel Zoe shares how she discovered her love for fashion at a young age, and Bill Nye raves about science and its impact on the world around us. Then, Hannah and Barilla cook a pasta dish customized for that person.
Everything about this campaign is geared toward appealing to millennials: the strategic partnership with Hannah, the celebrities being featured, the content (people talking about their passions) and the fact that the campaign is mobile-focused. By adding together these components, Barilla is able to effectively promote its products and brand through engaging content that appeals to its target audience.
