The theory of evolution applies as much to marketing as any other industry. The rules and tools of marketing have been evolving with new technologies and trends. Since the advent of the digital age, traditional marketing has branched out into specialised subsets such as integrated, content, digital, video and many more. Among these, influencer marketing has become a prominent strategy with more and more marketers turning to it to expand their reach, increase brand awareness and boost conversions. Influencer marketing is understood to be a type of social media marketing where brands partner with “influencers” (i.e., people with high numbers of followers and engagement) to promote their products/services. But is the concept of using ‘influence’ really new?

Evolution of the Influencer

What were the marketing tools before internet, computers and smartphones? Marketers relied on yellow pages, in-person networking groups, billboards, TV commercials, radio, print ads, direct mail etc. If we look back at the print and TV commercials, it’s clear that even the earliest marketers realised that featuring influential people could sway the consumers. Similarly, today when we talk of social media the influencers are innovators and early adopters that attract audience through their expertise.

We can trace the earliest documented influencer-figures, as per advertising folklore, to the 18th century. Back then, royalty and the pope were deployed as influencers to endorse various medicines for the benefit of the common folk. By the 20th century, fictional characters began to be used as influencers. A great example is that of Coca Cola’s popularization of Santa Claus in 1932. The Cola drink manufacturer used Santa Claus to spread cheer, grabbing the attention of their target audience, given the ongoing Great Depression. The consumers began to associate the brand with joyful qualities. In 1950s, Marlboro Man, a fictional character, was created by the cigarette brand to reinforce the idea that filtered cigarettes could be masculine.

Taking it up a notch, from the 1970s to 1990s, we saw the rise of celebrity endorsements that led to some iconic advertisements and campaigns. The nostalgia-inducing list is endless: The Liril girl from Karen Lunel in the ‘70s to Preity Zinta in the ‘90s, cricketer Sunil Gavaskar in Dinesh Suiting ad, Thumbs Up ad with Gavaskar, Ravi Shastri and Sandeep Patil, actress Rekha endorsing Gold Spot, Shaktiman in Parle G ad (another instance of character influence), Hema Malini for Lux, Jackie Shroff in Charminar cigarette ad, actor Shah Rukh Khan, cricketer Sachin Tendulkar in the Pepsi ad series, the “Do Boond Zindagi Ki” Polio campaign starring Amitabh Bachchan and many more!

Then came the 2000s and everything went digital! With ease of internet and cell phones becoming smart, social media platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Instagram became hub of content. This led to the creation of social media influencers. These influencers began to post relatable content about the good and bad in their lives, making it easier for audiences to associate to, as opposed to the over-the-top lifestyles of celebrities.

It is in this context that I talk of influencers. Be it an actor, athlete, entrepreneur, subject expert or analyst, they all hold the power to influence an audience that follow their example or trust them.

Picking an Influencer

There is a lot to consider when choosing an influencer or endorser as it can make or break a brand. The key being to find someone that understands the essence of your brand.

The numbers: It’s important to understand that numbers such as likes, followers or views do not necessarily mean reach for your brand. Celebrities are bound to have a larger following but that is the following of that personality. Be careful not to pick a celebrity or influencer that promotes or endorses everything from hair oil to shoes to atta, since the reach for your brand is likely to be low. In certain cases choosing an influencer with lesser following or engagement might cater to that niche audience that you want to reach. So, when picking an influencer be sure of what you need: a face for your brand or an influence.

The hits and the misses: If you pick a wrong influencer, it will definitely cost your brand and there is no handbook on how to avoid it, you can only learn from hits and misses. An influencer may post content that does not resonate with your brand, or their personality may not align with the essence of your brand. But if you get the right influencer then they can help you reach relevant audiences, spread brand awareness and even lead to conversions.

Let’s take the example of cricketer Saurav Ganguly endorsing Fortune Oil or Accenture sponsoring golfer Tiger Woods. Ganguly did an ad for the Fortune Oil and suffered a cardiac arrest soon after. The company had to halt advertisements featuring the former Indian cricketer following immense trolling. Similarly, Accenture ended its six-year sponsorship arrangement with golfer Tiger Woods when he got embroiled in an extra-marital affairs scandal. In contrast, AMD processors chose chess grandmaster Vishwanathan Anand as an endorser and the messaging was loud, clear and relatable.

Select long relationships: In order to epitomize the value of your brand, it is a great idea to invest in long relationships with celebrities or influencers. Some celebrities that have enjoyed long relationships include Roger Federer for Rolex and Kate Winslet for Longines. In such campaigns the audience starts to identify the personality with a certain brand. Watchmaker Richard Mille has tennis player Rafael Nadal and F1 driver Felipe Massa as its sports ambassadors and they even use their watches while playing and driving. This cements the influencer’s belief in the brand in front of a larger audience.

Beware of the fakers: This one is really important, especially when using social media. There are certain accounts that have skyrocketed to influencer status by purchasing fake followers, rather than growing real audiences. These accounts have no influence over their followers and your brand won’t get any results if you partner with one. You can spot a fake influencer if they have an unusual follower-to-engagement ratio, have had a recent spike in new followers or have lots of irrelevant or generic comments on their posts. Also beware of one hit wonders that might seem like influencers or celebrities but they fizzle out quick. Take for example the first Indian Idol winner Abhijeet Sawant or YouTubers like Dhinchak Pooja.

To summarise, as with most business decisions, influencer marketing is not a solution for everyone. I find that the distinction between endorsements and influencer marketing is often very fine and it’s important to weigh the pros and cons before adding either to your marketing strategy. Like any other tool, some campaigns might yield more results than the rest. That said, influencer marketing is one of the fastest and most effective ways to reach new customers, promote products and even increase revenue. We have seen how it has evolved so far, it will now be interesting to see how influencer marketing takes it up a notch as we enter a new decade.