Far from being mere “online trendsetters”, these innovators are valued components of the media mix.
Being “creative” is considered both prestigious and potentially lucrative, if you get the right career breaks. But these days it may be an even smarter move to become “a creator”.
We launched a new category – Influencer & Creator Marketing – to capture this altered reality. While we previously housed “influencers” in the broader Social Media category, this once niche corner of marketing has become professionalised enough to merit a prize of its own.
Beyond the plethora of specialist “influencer” agencies, heads of “influence” are now common at mainstream agencies. And brands are queuing up to collaborate with digital creators.
The brand has to take a step back, which can be hard.
SO WHAT KIND OF WORK IS THE EPICA AWARDS JURY LIKELY TO SEE EMERGING FROM THIS SPACE?
First let’s clear up the difference between an “influencer” and a “creator”. In their basic form, influencers are digital versions of traditional “opinion leaders” or “trendsetters”, often with a touch more gloss. “Creators”, on platforms like YouTube and TikTok, are entertainers or performers, skilled at putting together vibrant and compelling content. Audiences also love the witty and irreverent commentary by gamers on the live streaming service Twitch.
Crystal Malachias, Global Head of Influencer at McCann, gave us her interpretation during an interview earlier this year: “Influencers are traditionally people who’ve garnered a following and who can help inspire audiences to purchase. The content tends to be well-curated: for me they’re almost fulfilling the role of glossy magazines. Creators on TikTok, on the other hand, can be more authentic and innovative, which is why that platform is flying, especially among younger audiences.”
Creators tend to be closer to their “fans” than traditional celebrities, which makes them even more attractive to brands. But because viewers cherish these online heroes, there’s a tricky three-way balance to be struck during collaborations. Brands have to respect the editorial style of the creator and both parties have to avoid alienating the audience.
Creators on TikTok can be more authentic and innovative, which is why that platform is flying.
Mégane Perret, Head of Influence at the French agency Hungry & Foolish, put it this way in an interview: “Now the more mature brands realize their role is to help creators achieve a personal project. The brand has to take a step back, which can be hard. It also requires a bigger production budget.”
To give one example, Red Bull reiterated its long-term support of breakdancing in a 15-minute documentary with YouTube creator Anis Rhali, whose films explore and celebrate urban culture. Rather than feeling like product placement, the brand was a natural fit in this environment.
It’s hard to overstate the importance of the sector for brands, especially if they’re targeting the young. Amélie Ebongue, author of the book Generation Tik-Tok: A New Eldorado for Brands, pointed out that the platform has 1.3 billion viewers and that the average watch-time is 95 minutes a day. From Asia emerged the concept of “live commerce”, with influencers presenting products which viewers can buy immediately from their devices.
In short, this is a vibrant, alluring yet ever-changing world that demands all the strategic and creative skills agencies can muster on behalf of their clients. Skills our jury will be looking for.
TIME FOR SOME EXAMPLES OF QUALITY CAMPAIGNS
Let’s return to the Super Bowl for a moment. When DoorDash promised to deliver ALL the items advertised during the big game, its in-house agency Superette recruited an influencer to keep track of the mayhem.
DoorDash - "DOORDASH-ALL-THE-ADS" by Superette
In Italy, Nutella and Ogilvy Italy managed to convince mums to stream on Twitch, melting the hearts of even the most ad-averse gamers.
Nutella - "Epiphany" by Ogilvy Italy
While in France, thanks to Ogilvy Paris, a famous gamer became a “healthy eating influencer"…
Interbev - "Eat Like Your Avatar" by Ogilvy Paris
Talking of food, Edelman and multinational food and biotech company Ajinomoto harnessed the power of influence to launch a fake campaign: #cancelpizza
Ajinomoto - "#cancelpizza" by Edelman
To demonstrate the qualities of Samsung’s Galaxy S24 Ultra phone, We Are Social Australia teamed up with 25 creators to produce a terrific crowd-sourced music video for pop artist Tate McRae.
Samsung Mobile - "Think Later by Tate McRae" by We Are Social Australia
Here’s an influencer-driven case for Johnnie Walker from Hungary, created by the local branch of Publicis and based on the concept of “unboxing”…
Johnnie Walker - "The Uncomfortable Unboxing" by Publicis Reklámügynökség
Back in the gaming environment, you may recall that Doritos and its in-house agency created an AI noise suppressor to “cancel the crunch” during gamers’ live battles. It created a lot of (crunch free) conversation.
Doritos - "Game On, Crunch Off"