The traditional brand influencer is replaced by brand advocating employees
Trend - In an attempt to move beyond influencer marketing while still retaining a sense of authenticity, brands are placing their everyday employees front-and-center. The celebritization of regular brand employees can be seen everywhere from marketing to media.
Insight - Originally, influencers were an appealing prospect to brands looking to market their products because influencers acted as an audience surrogate. Their status as "real people" made them relatable. However, the proliferation of influencer marketed has elevated most influencers to near-celebrity status, making them unrelatable to the average consumer. Furthermore, social media popularity is more conducive to carefully curated image than a genuine look into the subject's real-life; authenticity is redefined by these standards.
Insight - Originally, influencers were an appealing prospect to brands looking to market their products because influencers acted as an audience surrogate. Their status as "real people" made them relatable. However, the proliferation of influencer marketed has elevated most influencers to near-celebrity status, making them unrelatable to the average consumer. Furthermore, social media popularity is more conducive to carefully curated image than a genuine look into the subject's real-life; authenticity is redefined by these standards.
Workshop Question - How could you better leverage team members at all levels of the business?
Trend Themes
1. Employee Brand Advocacy - Brands are leveraging the authentic and relatable status of their everyday employees to move beyond influencer marketing.
2. DIY Advertising - Brands are recreating iconic advertisements entirely from home with simple tools to convey their values and ease of use.
3. Philanthropic Employee-led Campaigns - Brands are enlisting their own employees to star in philanthropic initiatives and show their commitment to the cause.
Industry Implications
1. Employment - The employee brand advocacy trend creates new opportunities for employee engagement and collaboration in the workplace.
2. Marketing - The DIY advertising trend presents opportunities for creative expression, engagement with customers and agility in responding to cultural trends.
3. Corporate Social Responsibility - The philanthropic employee-led campaigns trend enables employees to play a more active and visible role in the company's charitable initiatives, and demonstrate their values alignment to customers.
