In recent years, one of the biggest innovations in the advertising market is influencers. A key figure who lives halfway between fame and mystery. If on the one hand their role and faces are well known, on the other hand their profession is still little known. A study by ONIM (National Influencer Marketing Observatory) revealed that over 60% of the Italian companies analyzed have launched between 1 and 3 marketing projects related to the work of influencers, thus demonstrating the validity and growth of this professional field.
THE INTERVIEW
But what lies behind the professional world of influencers? Clorinda Sgromo, a 28-year-old digital specialist and marketing strategist influencer, tells us something more about it. Intrigued by the world of communication and after completing a master’s thesis on the power of influencers in the fashion industry, she decided to develop her career in influencer marketing, working with two multinational companies as digital PR and digital specialist. «My work consists of theorising an external communication plan through social media and influential partners for the benefit of the company», Clorinda told us.
In Italy, influencer marketing is widespread in the fields of fashion, travel, beauty, food and technology. Last year, influencer marketing also became more common in gaming and sports, due to the success achieved by the eSports campaign.
WHAT’S THE GOAL?
According to data from the National Influencer Marketing Observatory, most companies launch influencer marketing campaigns to improve brand awareness, i.e. the reputation of a brand and its recognition among users, or to increase their engagement on social networks and increase sales.
THE POTENTIAL
The potential of this modern marketing approach is vast, depending on the path that the brand is taking. In the case of small companies, it can represent a boost in terms of notoriety and allows you to become part of an awareness system much faster than more traditional marketing channels. This is because the dynamics of influencer marketing see the product enter the real life of people who already have an influence on their audience, and who are therefore able to catalyze their opinions. In case of well-known brands, the potential lies in the positioning of a product or service. «For example, in the luxury niche, the choice will be between personalities who already have an editorial language and aesthetics oriented in this direction, in addition to an already selected audience», says Clorinda.
The essential phases of this work are:
selection, scouting of influential characters
co-creation, where influencers’ tone of voice is linked to brand’s guidelines
analysis of expectations and goals and some adjustments.
HOW TO MATCH INFLUENCERS AND ADVERTISING
Influencer marketing is part of the advertising field and for this reason, it is constantly evolving. This happens because the challenge of advertising is precisely to emulate messages, turning them towards a natural and authentic language. Also, due to the fact that advertising changes and adapts according to the channel in which it is located, «it is necessary to match the will of the advertising message with the language of the media: it would be the positive evolution of advertising that is no longer perceived as such», Clorinda points out. «A striking example of this is the TikTok platform, where the distinction between creator content and mere advertising no longer exists».
In Italy, when we talk about digital, things are often not so clear. The real goal, to fully exploit the possibilities of influencer marketing and the digital world, is to set a specific goal, which allows you to channel the creativity and visibility of influencers correctly, even making them participate in the production process. «Unfortunately, very often multiple objectives are fitted together and this creates confusion within the message we want to convey: influencers should be one of the many communication channels of the brand but always oriented towards the same purpose» concludes Clorinda Sgromo.
