1/ In the day and age when people want to be talked with vs being talked to, influencers are the new billboards. 👏
👇 Thread 👇
👇 Thread 👇
2/ Traditionally, CPG brands appealed to the average consumer who needed a product (shampoo, soap, shoes, etc.). That’s why they created ad-campaigns around widely-known celebrities, or created their own celebrities.
The @OldSpice Man is my favorite example.
The @OldSpice Man is my favorite example.
3/ Mass paid and advertising media rewarded celebrities with mass-awareness. The big got bigger and only the largest brands could endure expensive funnel inefficiencies. 📈
Heritage brands capitalized on this with their multi-billion dollar branding budgets. 💰
Heritage brands capitalized on this with their multi-billion dollar branding budgets. 💰
4/ Too many legacy brands are stuck in their old ways. 📜
The strategy of signing famous people, and making them the face of the brand without giving them creative input doesn’t work anymore. 🙅
It’s fake — young people see right through it. 👀
The strategy of signing famous people, and making them the face of the brand without giving them creative input doesn’t work anymore. 🙅
It’s fake — young people see right through it. 👀
5/ People see know what is just a paid ad VS what it authentic. It’s the same idea as “Banner Blindness” — where 60% of people who don’t even recognize banner ads on a website.
People want to make their own decisions, and the brand has to position media to inform that decision.
People want to make their own decisions, and the brand has to position media to inform that decision.
6/ But now, big CPG brands are struggling.
In the past 3 years, over $17bn in sales has evaporated from the 10 largest U.S. packaged-food companies, according to @business.
Sales are shifting to brands that reinvent the wheel with better benefits, materials, ingredients, etc.
In the past 3 years, over $17bn in sales has evaporated from the 10 largest U.S. packaged-food companies, according to @business.
Sales are shifting to brands that reinvent the wheel with better benefits, materials, ingredients, etc.
7/ With the most recent announcement from Mark Zuckerberg, he itterates that people (family & friends) and creators are going to be the focus of the timeline in 2018 on @facebook. NOT brands and publishers. It’s time for brands to become human to compete in this playing field. 
8/ Big CPG brands are perplexed. 🙄
They aren’t using influencers the right way. They see influencer marketing as a box to check off to stay relevant and “be cool with millennials,” not a strategy to build trust and restore growth. 🤦♂️
They aren’t using influencers the right way. They see influencer marketing as a box to check off to stay relevant and “be cool with millennials,” not a strategy to build trust and restore growth. 🤦♂️
9/ Many brands think influencer marketing doesn’t work, but that's because they don’t know how to work with them. They see influencers as “social media stars and content creators on the internet.”
10/ Brands forget the other value that influencers bring to the table. It’s audience data, insights, and the loyalty of their following.
This data can be used to:
- Build brand loyalty.
- Lessen customer acquisition costs.
- Track influencer marketing on a performance level.
This data can be used to:
- Build brand loyalty.
- Lessen customer acquisition costs.
- Track influencer marketing on a performance level.
11/ The era of a single point-of-view is over.
Brand marketers are used to the idea of a single spokesperson — one person who speaks for the entire brand, but the “customers” aren’t just one persona or one type of person. You need to speak to different people in different ways.
Brand marketers are used to the idea of a single spokesperson — one person who speaks for the entire brand, but the “customers” aren’t just one persona or one type of person. You need to speak to different people in different ways.
12/ The world has changed and it’s very personalized now. There’s a media outlet or niche for every subculture.
Brands need to hyper-segment their audiences and speak to each of them with different messaging and tone. That’s where influencers come in to be that “billboard.”
Brands need to hyper-segment their audiences and speak to each of them with different messaging and tone. That’s where influencers come in to be that “billboard.”
13/ The best influencers have extremely loyal “audiences” — it’s like having a couple million best friends. 👫
Influencers humanize the brands they represent and create two-way conversation between brands and their consumers. 🔛
People don’t follow brands. They follow people.
Influencers humanize the brands they represent and create two-way conversation between brands and their consumers. 🔛
People don’t follow brands. They follow people.
14/ Modern celebrities are like soul mates.
Pay attention to how people talk about their favorite influencers. A friend recently referred to @samsheffer and @djkhaled as his homies. Um…. he’s never met them.
We feel like we know them — their dogs, roommates, & insecurities.
Pay attention to how people talk about their favorite influencers. A friend recently referred to @samsheffer and @djkhaled as his homies. Um…. he’s never met them.
We feel like we know them — their dogs, roommates, & insecurities.
15/ Influencers are extensions of our social lives.
And brands are extensions and expressions of ourselves.
Through brands, we transcend the mundane.
More and more, we aren’t just buying a product.
When we buy something, we buy a new mode of being — a new identity.
And brands are extensions and expressions of ourselves.
Through brands, we transcend the mundane.
More and more, we aren’t just buying a product.
When we buy something, we buy a new mode of being — a new identity.
16/ Society is changing too. 🔄
A 1967 survey ranked community and benevolence ranked as the most important values. Now, people aspire to fame and achievement. 😎💰
A 1967 survey ranked community and benevolence ranked as the most important values. Now, people aspire to fame and achievement. 😎💰
18/ I’m a big fan of @PUMA X @KylieJenner.
It’s fun and authentic. It feels natural — a match made in heaven.
Kylie is known for her daily updates across Snapchat.
When she goes out she puts on Puma attire and tells all 30 million viewers.
And now, her fans mimic her.
It’s fun and authentic. It feels natural — a match made in heaven.
Kylie is known for her daily updates across Snapchat.
When she goes out she puts on Puma attire and tells all 30 million viewers.
And now, her fans mimic her.
19/ Samsung’s ads work because they're fun to watch.
First, Samsung built a real and authentic relationship with @CaseyNeistat. Then, Casey recruited his friends to help — a squad of A+ YouTubers.
Conclusively, their ads stand for something — Samsung supports creators.
First, Samsung built a real and authentic relationship with @CaseyNeistat. Then, Casey recruited his friends to help — a squad of A+ YouTubers.
Conclusively, their ads stand for something — Samsung supports creators.
20/ But brands including Puma and Samsung still aren’t going far enough. They’re missing out on lucrative opportunities. 🌐
They’re focusing too much on big names and content, and not enough on data. Think trust — not reach.
They’re focusing too much on big names and content, and not enough on data. Think trust — not reach.
21/ Build a network of influencers and incorporate customer feedback. Work with influencers to curate “boxes” or “stores” with your brand’s products.
@emilywweiss has mastered this with @glossier. Today, roughly 80% of their growth comes from peer-to-peer recommendations.
@emilywweiss has mastered this with @glossier. Today, roughly 80% of their growth comes from peer-to-peer recommendations.
22/ Today, Anybody can create content. Reach is a commodity.
The real power of influencers is in their audience data, which they can use to re-target advertisements. 📊
And soon, influencers will launch their own social platforms. 📲
This is just the beginning….
The real power of influencers is in their audience data, which they can use to re-target advertisements. 📊
And soon, influencers will launch their own social platforms. 📲
This is just the beginning….
23/ Branding and performance marketing have converged.
A/B test every ad.
Track brand advertising.
Evaluate customers with engagement data.
Use real-time data to iterate and improve creative.
Done right, and you’ll compress the marketing funnel.
A/B test every ad.
Track brand advertising.
Evaluate customers with engagement data.
Use real-time data to iterate and improve creative.
Done right, and you’ll compress the marketing funnel.
24/ We live online now.
Influencer marketing works.
But most brands are doing it wrong.
Think trust — not reach.
Think targeting — not branding.
Think intimate — not broadcasting.
Think audience data — not content creation
Influencer marketing works.
But most brands are doing it wrong.
Think trust — not reach.
Think targeting — not branding.
Think intimate — not broadcasting.
Think audience data — not content creation
25/ Shoutout to @david_perell for his help to put this together with me. Team work makes the dream work 🙌 You can find all our other collabs here -- perell.com/tweetstorms/ 
