Mythical Millennial #6: Influencers schminfluencers
A few months ago, Digiday commissioned a piece: “Confessions of a social media exec on influencer marketing: ‘We threw too much money at them’. Notable quotes include: “We paid $300,000 for a few photographs because the CEO’s kid liked someone”, “These people don’t understand budgets” and, to top it all off, “Brands are going to start realizing the amount of followers you have doesn’t mean shit.” Phoo-wee, someone forgot to have coffee that morning.
Yes, some influencers are dodgy AF — one even agreed to do branded content for North Korea recently — but I believe the real disconnect lies with companies buying up influencers because they think they’ll get results from a single tweet. I agree, a follower count does not a good marketing campaign make. Instead, it’s really about finding the influencer that’s the right fit for the brand purpose. I mean, you don’t ask Zoella to play video games, after all.
One influencer marketing campaign I’ve been impressed with lately is the SORTEDFoodcollaboration with Android Pay, #CelebrateWithSORTED. Fantastic personalities and irresistible food porn combined in a way that made me totally cool with the idea that I was essentially watching a 10-minute long advertorial for a FinTech product. I’m not sure how effective it was at convincing people to use Android Pay, but you can’t say it isn’t memorable.
A leaf from Sorted Food’s book: it’s not about hiding the fact you’ve sponsored a campaign. It’s about thinking outside the box, and embracing the content strategy of the influencer’s over your brand’s. (Control freaks: influencer marketing is definitely not for you.)
An excellent piece by Quartz came out this week telling us that if we wanted to be happier at work, we should be getting ourselves a side hustle. I’ve just started a new job and it’s been pretty crazy. But writing Mythical Millennial keeps me grounded, and reminds me that I am more than what my job title tells me to be.
Phyllis Korkki writes:
“A side pursuit can also make you more resilient. People who stake all their identity on their day jobs can be devastated, not just financially but psychologically, if they are suddenly fired or laid off. If your identity isn’t defined primarily by your 9 to 5, you’ll have a healthier outlook on life.”
So, when you’re at one of those dreaded networking drinks, I dare you to introduce yourself as your side hustle. Observe how you talk about it. Is it different to how you speak about your work? Tweet me if it is.
Why did nobody tell me The Veronicas were back? If you guys jammed to ‘4ever’ when it came out in 2005 (11 years ago. I was 12.) then you’ll be glad to know that they’re still about.
My current new aim is to live my life with as much confidence as the Final Five’s Laurie Hernandez has in this single GIF. Holy wow.
The Rio 2016 Olympics have come and gone in the space between two Mythical Millennial letters, but they’ve been a hoot to read about, especially this Vulture article waxing lyrical about the wink that shook the world.
Keep on winnin’ at life, y’all.
See you in two weeks,
B x
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Originally published on Mythical Millennial.
