Influencer Marketing is Taking Off, How Do You Get on Board? | World of Advertising #006
This isn't a scientific case study by any means but I am a 23 year old working in the media/advertising world and the McDonalds x Travis Scott collab was one of the best of 2020. (Maybe in the past 5 years)
How did McDonalds capitalize on Travis Scott's image and likeness and how can your business do the same? This article will dive into those 2 key points.
Using Celebrities is Not New - Influencer Marketing Is.
Advertising has always used celebrities as a way to attract potential customers. Matthew McConaughey in those Lincoln ads, Aaron Judge in Jersey Mikes ads, Terry Crews in Old Spice ads. It's a fact that celebrities help sell products because their opinion carries a specific weight and value to many people/fans.
Influencer Marketing is different, the key being social media's involvement in this strategy. McDonald's collab with Travis Scott is not about the burger or the tv ads, rather the content that customers would make before, during, and after ordering the meal. Take one look on TikTok or Twitter and you'll see countless videos of people ordering the meal and playing Travis Scott in their car. "You know why I'm here"
How Does Your Small Business Take Advantage of This?
You don't have McDonald's advertising budget. Instead you have to be creative or work with someone who understands the social media and influencer marketplace. (yes it is a marketplace with supply and demand just like any other product)
Scenario: You own a restaurant and would like to get more people in the door. You have great food and drinks and good prices to go with it. We live in a visual world where the most used social media app is literally just pictures and videos. (Instagram) You decide to seek out a handful of "micro influencers" in your area. Anyone with 1000-5000 IG followers. DM them and ask what they charge to come to your restaurant and post a few stories and maybe even a post with your business tagged.
This will cost significantly less than buying advertising on the radio, tv, billboards, and facebook. What you're doing is taking advantage of the attention these specific micro influencers have. 18-30 year olds with 1000-5000 followers have a better understanding of attention than many CEOs of advertising agencies.
You have to be creative in this market. 1980 was 40 YEARS AGO. Your ad strategy needs to evolve. Try influencer marketing and tell me if you see results!