Leveraging Influencers In Video Marketing

It’s all about who you know these days. From celebrities to esteemed public figures, brands gain credibility by the people that talk about them. Below are a few examples and reasons why influencers gain widespread marketing success.

Prestige

First, there’s the famous Lagavulin whiskey campaign. Its target audience? A younger generation less than enthused by the more refined malt whiskey. Ultra-masculine Parks and Rec actor Nick Offerman was featured in a 45-minute influencer video, settled into a crisp leather chair, a blazing fire at his side, staring potently at the camera. He moved only to sip a single glass of malt whiskey. The only sound? The crackling of an open fire. The video won a place in homes across America. It also won the Shorty Award for best video influencer and celebrity campaign. Why? People relate to who they know, and, when viewers admire someone, they mimic their behavior–including the whiskey they drink.

Emotion

While the whiskey campaign played on prestige, or the human need for power and approval, the Bubble Foundation’s Wear Yellow campaign preyed on emotion. Not a dime was spent when YouTube video of Seth Lane, a young boy about to undergo a bone marrow transplant, went viral. The nonprofit raised awareness without a word spoken aloud. But its message was heard as far as the airforce and actor Ashton Kutcher. Celebrity and public figure influencers, like the firemen who supported Seth, helped raise tens of thousands of dollars for this small, yet powerful cause.

What makes these campaigns so successful?

The same reason highly rated products and services are purchased. The human capacity to trust widens when others’ attest to the soundness of a brand. In simple terms, how well liked a product or service is, according to its convincing influencer, affects buyers’ purchase decisions even before they’ve torn open the packaging. Why? A celebrity is someone fans frequently believe they know on a personal level. Perhaps they’ve laughed at their jokes or admired their beauty or heroism. There are a few key factors to the success of an influencer campaign, however, and here’s where smart companies listen up.

They’ve done their research

Market research spells success in any campaign initiative. According to Forbes, zoning in on the right audience requires, first, decoding their primary concern with questions like, who is their audience? What factors affect their buying decisions? Second, they focus content to reflect their wants, needs, fears and desires, playing them like strings on an old guitar.

They captivate

Creating videos that arouse audiences’ interest is what astounds marketers who spend thousands to reach the masses and gain little to nothing. Sometimes, all it takes is a small piece of entertainment to stoke a fire. By doing so, companies ensure their video influencers market their brand in a way that doesn’t just inform, but allures. Take the Left Swipe Dat campaign for example to end teen smoking, with a music video style approach to win a young crowd.

They’re non discriminatory

The best influencers aren’t the most obvious. If a video game company were to select a top gamer, their script may be straightforward. Yet, if they were to select a celebrity influencer research showed their target audience would admire, or at least see on TV, but had no gaming experience, their approach would likely be all the more interesting. Companies should take this advice and think bigger. Or, as Apple would say, “Think Different.”

That’s a wrap

With research, hearts and minds tuned in to what an audience is drawn to, even–and especially–before a campaign is underway, comes the greater chance of widespread success.

Who are your favorite influencers and why? Comment below and let us know!