Celebrity endorsements have been around for some time, but a trending marketing strategy right now is influencer marketing. Its effectiveness has raised discussions among pundits. Some claim one works better than the other. But truthfully, what works best is what fits your brand or campaign.
The Fine Line Between Celebrity Endorsements And Influencer Marketing
When it comes down to it, some companies are limited to their selection of influencers. Take the underwear brand Hanes, not too many people specialize in wearing underwear. Having Michael Jordan as their celebrity endorsement is a great fit. Hanes bought Jordan’s face and fame, and associated it to their products. Although his entire career (read life) revolves around basketball, he’s not known for wearing underwear. But that doesn’t make the campaign any less effective.
Lagavulin Single Malt Scotch Whisky’s “Yule Log” is different from the Jordan Hanes mash up. It features Park and Recreation’s Nick Offerman but utilizes influencer marketing. If you’re not familiar with the show, Offerman’s character, Ron Swanson, is a whiskey aficionado. Fans see the character as a trusted source of whiskey. Although Offerman appears in the ad, it’s Swanson that “recommends” the product to his followers. “Yule Log” earned almost a billion impressions. The company uploaded a ten-hour version due to high demand. We’re not sure who wants to watch an ad for that long, but if your audience is demanding ten hours of content, you’re probably doing something right.
In short, a celebrity endorsement uses the fame of a celebrity to sell a product. Usually a familiar face that shares similar values or accomplishments as the company. An influencer typically taps into their audience and recommends a product they specialize in. When the audience already knows the influencer makes an impact in an industry, the recommendation is purposed to build loyalty to a brand.
When Influencer Marketing Backfires
There is risk when using an influencer. From either a muddied-water creative approach that builds the influencer piece as a daft celebrity endorsement, yet still tries to appeal to the influencer’s followers. Or if the influencer has an unknown dark side that comes to light, similar to when YouTube’s biggest star, PewDiePie, was found making anti-Semitic remarks that left sponsors, like Disney, unwilling to associate themselves with him any longer.
Kendall Jenner appeared in a Pepsi ad and solved the problems of the world with a Pepsi. Viewers sent backlash against the company on all fronts. The campaign was immediately pulled because of Pepsi’s tone-deaf approach. The ad gave us a notable figure, a powerhouse brand, and in this case a noble cause. Twenty seconds into the Pepsi spot, viewers realize the spokesperson and even the brand have nothing to do with the topic at hand.
Everything that drew us in to engage with the content fell flat and left us with an empty feeling. The ad made it seem like all of America’s trending issues could be fix by sharing a Pepsi. Not only does this approach downplay the efforts of both side to reach a civil resolution, it shows that both the influencer (Jenner) and Pepsi are not in touch with the plight of the common man. A better method would have been to borrow from Bill Backer’s playbook and how he bought the world a Coke in 1971.
A Recommendation From Someone They Trust
When thinking of including celebrities or influencers in your marketing, be sure to know your industry and if appropriate, who made it their niche. Sometimes it’s as easy as being a cable company and getting someone like Mark Wahlberg or Rob Lowe to share their “by the script” thoughts of your products.
But if you want something different and break the mold of your market, your perfect influencer has already made an impact and is familiar with your industry. They’ll use their platforms to “review and recommend” your services and products to their audience. You’ll attract their audience and convert them into a loyal consumer for your brand, at least that’s the goal. Let them share their experience with your products. If your influencer believes in your product, it will be a true recommendation from someone the audience trusts.