Brands or Influencers – Who has more power in marketing?

Have you ever wondered who has the power when you are running a campaign? For the longest period of time, brands have held the power and had their say over the creative direction of their advertising.

But with the rise of influencer marketing, are things changing?

Influencer Marketing

Millennials and Gen Zs are the reason for the growth and demand for influencer marketing. Influencers have the power to help consumers decide whether to buy a product or not.

Does one size fits all work?

Long story short - the days of ‘one size fits all’ marketing are over. It is imperative for brands to consider the ethnicity of their target audience and then figure out how they can market to each. For instance, if a certain brand’s audience is predominantly white, they need to ask themselves what it is that they need to do to attract others, as a brand will only attract what it represents. So the campaigns need to be tailored to break down and reach out to different sections of the society.

Change is the only constant

As the field of marketing has changed, and different backgrounds are becoming more involved, this needs to be reflected in all marketing campaigns as well.

Eric Toda, a former marketing executive for Gap Inc., Airbnb and Nike, noted: “As marketers we are one of the only industries in the world that can influence mass masses of people. We can do this in pursuit of goodness, or we can choose the other way around. We need to put value - driven messages out there, show real life versus an unfruitful mirage, and create purpose.”

The importance of authenticity

The content you produce and your relationships with influencers must be authentic. Many consumers, especially those of the younger generation, expect more from brands and will not engage with content they consider too polished to the point where it looks fake. Having this authenticity gives influencers some creative freedom as they know their audience best. This gives them the power and control to tell the story of a brand in a way that will engage with their followers.

Representation matters

Another important aspect of a successful campaign is representation.

Research has shown that 74% of consumers say that representation in marketing is important to them and determines which brands they associate with and buy from.

It’s important to include ethnic minority influencers in marketing campaigns and help them have the voice and position they deserve. Very few products or services are made for one race, gender or point of view, so why should then marketing be aimed at a single segment of consumers?

What does the future look like?

Customers and influencers both want to see themselves reflected in the brand they are buying and endorsing. Millennials and Gen Z aren’t afraid to use their voice in regards to the brand. Transparency is now appreciated more than ever before and people want to see campaigns that feature influencers that they engage with and hold the brand accountable when they make changes.

So what do you think – who holds more power today? Spill your thoughts in the comments and follow The Ad Network on Instagram to stay tuned with all things in the creative world!