Celebrities and influencers: Elevating Your brand with recognisable faces
December 2023
When was the last time you were ‘influenced’?
We all know the impact of ‘word of mouth’ as a marketing tool. But social media platforms enable word of mouth on a mass scale. And that word can come from someone your audience already trusts and aspires to.
In this blog post, we will explore the many benefits of associating your brand experience campaign with celebrities and influencers and understand why leveraging a familiar face can be a game-changer for your campaign.
Building trust and reliability
One of the primary advantages of aligning your brand with a familiar face is the inherent trust and reliability it fosters. Consumers are more likely to engage with and trust a product or service endorsed by a celebrity or influencer they already admire. According to a survey by Nielsen, 92% of consumers trust recommendations from individuals, even if they don’t know them personally.
But it’s important to choose the right person. Whether that is a celebrity, well-known social media influencer, or reality TV star, the choice you make will be dependent on your customers and their relationship to your brand. A great example of a familiar face/ brand partnership is the Mrs Hinch vs Lenor campaign. With such a loyal Instagram audience and consistent online presence, the campaign is promoted through ‘Mrs Hinch’s’ platforms. This is especially effective for experiential campaigns as loyal followers become invested in the partnership, they make it their mission to meet their ‘idol’ and support the influencer in their appearance, resulting in a bigger turnout and sales for the brand.
Strategic direction from an agency
A brand experience agency will have close relationships with talent agencies specialising in identifying personalities whose values align with your brand. They ensure that the collaboration is not just a one-time deal but a strategic partnership. From negotiating contracts to advising on content strategies, an experiential agency can contribute a level of insight and expertise that can significantly impact the success of your campaign.
Audience borrowing and engagement
One of the unique advantages of associating with recognisable faces is the concept of “audience borrowing.” By aligning your brand with influencers or celebrities, you gain access to their established and engaged fan base. This can amplify the expansion of your brand’s reach to demographics that may have been challenging to tap into through traditional means.
Influencers, in particular, have a dedicated following that looks up to them for recommendations. A study by Influencer Marketing Hub found that 49% of consumers rely on influencer recommendations for their purchasing decisions.
Engagement is another critical factor. Promotional posts or content that feature recognisable faces consistently receive higher engagement than those without. And this too can have a ripple effect with more people sharing your product on social media platforms. Getting a familiar face involved in your experiential campaign can be a game-changer for interaction and visibility.
Recognisable and attention-grabbing promotions
Often, capturing the attention of your target audience is the biggest battle. Recognisable promotions featuring celebrities or influencers act as ‘attention magnets’ that go on to draw people into your events.
Social media platforms, in particular, provide a direct and immediate channel to showcase your brand’s activity or experience alongside a familiar face.
Research by Socialbakers, a social media marketing platform, indicates that campaigns featuring celebrities or influencers receive significantly higher engagement compared to posts without them. The study found that the average engagement rate for posts with recognisable personalities was 4.7%, while posts without them received only 1.9%.
Micro-influencers
Micro-influencers are a rising force in the realm of influencer marketing. Individuals with a relatively modest following, typically ranging from a few thousand to tens of thousands of engaged followers. Unlike macro-influencers with massive audiences, micro-influencers often have a more niche and specialised focus within a particular industry or community.
Their smaller, yet highly engaged, follower base allows for more meaningful interactions and authentic connections. Studies have shown that micro-influencers can offer a significantly higher engagement rate than their macro counterparts. For instance, a report by Influencer Marketing Hub found that micro-influencers with 10,000 followers or fewer generally experience an engagement rate of 7.2%, while macro-influencers with millions of followers only achieve a 1.5% engagement rate. This heightened engagement is attributed to the perceived authenticity and relatability that micro-influencers bring to their content.
The benefits of collaborating with micro-influencers extend beyond engagement rates. Brands often find that these influencers can provide a more cost-effective avenue for marketing campaigns, as they typically charge lower fees than their macro counterparts. Plus, the focused nature of their content allows brands to tap into highly targeted demographics.
Gok Wan for Philadelphia…
An example of a familiar face supporting a brand experience campaign is our campaign with Philadelphia.
Purity worked with Philadelphia to launch ‘Philadelphia Intense’ – a unique and indulgent gourmet cream cheese made with real herbs. The aim was to drive mass awareness through consumer trials and product sampling of Philadelphia Intense.
The tour rollout kicked off with Southbank Observation Point on the Thames. For this launch event, food guru and TV presenter Gok Wan served lucky passers-by exclusive new Philadelphia Intense recipes. Throughout the tour, local influencers popped by to create media appeal and shareability. Gok Wan was a relevant household name (with a positive public image!) that the target audience would feel familiar with. Having Gok at the event in person had a huge influence on the turnout and interactions with passers-by.
Fred Siriex for LU Biscuits
Purity also developed a brand experience campaign for LU biscuits with a familiar face – Fred Siriex. The brand synergy stemmed from the fact that Fred Siriex is already an established household name in the food market as well as television. It’s important that the personal brand of the celebrity is also aligned to the brand and product, which again, was the case with Fred Siriex vs LU: known for his sleek dress sense and French heritage, his presence was not out of place.
For this campaign, the focus was on a new launch from LU – Le Petit Ganache – the first filled biscuit in the range in January 2023. Working with PR & Comms agency Tin Man, we created ‘The Le Petit Ganache Pâtisserie’, a pop-up with a difference in London.
Guests were transported into LU’s mirrored authentic French Patisserie – Le Petit Ganache Pâtisserie, bringing to life the ‘chocolatey’ ganache surprise centre of the LU Le Petit Ganache biscuit.
The final delight was a meet and greet with Fred Sirieix ensuring that guests left with that ‘oh la la’ feeling and a couple of chocolatey surprises under their belt. A great example of pop-up sampling paired with a familiar face.
The impact of a recognisable face on your brand is undeniable. The benefits extend beyond mere visibility, encompassing trust-building, audience borrowing, and engagement. However, the success of such collaborations hinges on careful selection and strategic guidance from talent and influencer agencies.
By choosing personalities with positive public images and leveraging the expertise of agencies, brands can create long-lasting and fruitful partnerships. Opting for a personality with a positive public image is crucial for maintaining the integrity of your brand. Negative associations can lead to a loss of credibility and trust, outweighing any short-term gains.
Associating your brand with familiar faces is not just a trend but a proven strategy for success.
