Mendelsohn, Tu, Detert
Any brand that wants to be relevant needs to have a robust content strategy with creators at the heart it, declared Nicola Mendelsohn, vice president, global business group, Meta, at the start of an Advertising Week NY session on how creators are helping brands tap into new audiences.
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The creator economy is exploding, added Mendelsohn, noting one estimate that it will grow by $500 billion over the next four years.
When asked by Mendelsohn why influencers have become such a huge industry asset, Ryan Detert CEO of Influential (recently acquired by Publicis Groupe), responded, “creators resonate with people.” Punctuating the point, he asserted that content created by brands will “never be as viewable” as content generated by individuals. “People trust people more than brands.”
Vivian Tu, an influencer and CEO of Your Rich BFF, says she has worked hard to build trust with her audience of millions across TikTok, Instagram and YouTube. “I want them to like what I put out,” she said, adding that she’ll turn down business with companies who basically want her to run a TV ad type of script. “I won’t put it on because it won’t perform.”
Midway through the session Tu disclosed that she was dressed “head to toe” in clothing and accessories from Marshall’s, the off-price retailer. “But I look like a million bucks.” The point being that brands that get it right want authenticity, she added.
Detert noted that early in the influencer era, the channel was mostly used at the PR and awareness stages but has evolved, in part due to advanced metrics, to where it is used at all key stages of the marketing funnel through conversion and loyalty.
Metrics have also helped Tu find new audiences. She started her influencer career dispensing financial advice and has branched out in areas like beauty, food and fashion.
And her arrangements with brands have become more multifaceted over time. Initially it was mostly “trading money for assets,” she said. Now her contracts include remuneration for her time on production sets, for exclusivity rights and more. In some cases, she’ll receive bonuses tied to performance and growth targets or ventures related to podcasts or PR.
AI has been a transforming asset in the space. Ryan noted that his firm has been using the technology for years to help create graphics and scripts and more recently for imagery and pairing the right creators with the right brands and campaigns.
“AI is my sous chef,” said Tu, noting that she uses it to reduce the amount of time she has to spend on less desirable tasks (for her) like graphics and design.
vERY good