This recent mega–trend of major brands using certain types of ‘Influencer Marketing’ platforms I think evidences that same need, but what’s really happening under the covers on most influencer campaigns is somewhat shocking, a huge cause for concern, and once we walk through where to look, it’s undeniable. – Crowdly CEO Dan Sullivan in SteamFeed
This week we have a special piece to highlight from our Founder and CEO Dan Sullivan. In his piece for SteamFeed, Dan breaks down the crowded Influencer Marketing space, the problems with the lack of authenticity in some forms for word of mouth, and the ways brands can build lasting relationships with their customers. Check out Dan’s piece on Influencer Marketing’s Dirty Little Secret.
T.J. Kirkpatrick for The New York Times
- The Quote: “When you see him playing in a major on a Sunday in one of the final groups, and you see him covered head to toe with Under Armour, it really does help legitimize the brand as a viable golf brand,” said Bob Dorfman, a sports marketing expert at Baker Street Advertising. “Golf in particular is very brand-oriented, and people seem to pay a heck of a lot of attention to who’s wearing what.” – Sydney Ember for The New York Times
- Why it Matters: This is a great look at some of the ground Under Armour has been covering lately in the footwear and athletic apparel industries from the New York Times. By selecting the right brand ambassadors in players like Steph Curry and Jordan Spieth, the brand has resonated with today’s consumer. This piece is about building relationships with that consumer through smaller, niche social campaigns, and the adjustments necessary in order to grow a base of fans along with the brand itself. Overall, Under Armour is hitting a chord with consumers, and this is an excellent look into why.
- The Quote: “When Dunn looks to the future of his brand, he “obsesses over a dorky metric” called a net promoter score. This assesses how likely a customer would be to recommend the brand to friends. He makes no qualms about wanting Bonobos to be the number one menswear retailer in the country and believes it will hit $1 billion in revenue by 2023.” – Chave Lieber for Racked
- Why it Matters: Bonobos is a brand built on word-of-mouth. Getting a look inside founder Andy Dunn’s approach to growing the brands is a treat, as his biggest focus is on making it a brand his customers love enough to spread the word about. With an average shopper between the ages of 28 to 35, and two growing brands in AYR and Maide running alongside Bonobos, Dunn’s company is turning retail on its head with a customer-first mentality, and a strategy built on growing advocacy above all else.
- The Quote: “For example, say a customer named Kelly goes to Starbucks every day for a month, except two times. Two times she instead chooses to walk into Peet’s. Though Starbucks and Peet’s can collect transactional data over time and try to match it with her online behavior, neither company knows why Kelly prefers Starbucks and why that brand lost Kelly on two occasions. Kelly is more than the wake she leaves behind with her credit card. Did she see a promotion? A new drink type? Unlocking “the why” behind these decisions—through an actual customer-brand dialogue—is the secret to growing a brand’s market share. A brand can engage in these conversations through secure, online communities made up of many customers and tap them on an ongoing basis to uncover preferences, opinions, and insights.” – Andrew Reid for MarketingProfs
- Why it Matters: The biggest insight into a brand’s best customers is often the conversations they’re having with each other. What consumers choose to share and how they choose to share it are key components of an advocacy strategy, and the backbone of today’s marketing. Nurture those conversations by making your brand a part of them, and committing to it across digital channels.
Photo: Content Marketing Institute
- The Quote: “Technology can prove that we are touching the customer, but we almost never focus on how we are touching the customer. Marketers are toos tuck in implementing activities and don’t think enough about how to make an impact in someone’s life. How many marketing goals are structured by the quantity of content produced rather than the quality of the content’s impact.” – Robert Rose for Content Marketing Institute
- Why it Matters: Amen. The baseline for everything we do in marketing isn’t about the quantity, it’s about the quality. We as marketers need to learn to make insights actionable, content interesting, and customers advocates for our brand. Otherwise, what’s the point?